


Uchiha Destinies

by Eravanthia



Series: Kaida Chronicles [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: A slightly graphic little bit of violence, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Are These Tags Okay?, Betas are for people with friends, But this is literally my first posted fanfic anywhere ever, F/M, Happy Ending, I'll probably add more tags as I post following chapters, I'm bad at this., I'm trying not to spoil things with these tags okay? ;-;, No Beta, Probably A Little Angst, Protective Siblings, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Strong Sibling Bonds, slowburn?, so I think I'm allowed to be bad at tagging.
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-07
Updated: 2019-10-24
Packaged: 2020-04-12 01:59:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 26,195
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19122295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eravanthia/pseuds/Eravanthia
Summary: I was 9 years old when I realized I was different from my brothers.  My father knew long before anyone else that I was going to be far too soft to be the kind of second in command he would approve of.  Well, the joke was on him; I'd rather die than be anything he'd approve of.My name is Uchiha Kaida, and this is my story





	1. Secrets Kept

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: I own absolutely nothing about Naruto, only the plot to this story and Uchiha Kaida.
> 
> Also I'd like to point out that Kaida means "Little Dragon" and I felt that it was extremely appropriate for an Uchiha name.

I was 9 years old when I first realized I was different from my brothers.  My twin brother Madara -older than me by 15 minutes- was slated to be the next clan head and my younger brother Izuna was intended to be his second in command.  Traditionally that honor should have been mine, being the second oldest, but my father knew long before anyone else that I was going to be far too soft to be the kind of second in command he would approve of.  Well, the joke was on him; I’d rather die than be anything he would approve of.

My name is Uchiha Kaida, and this is my story.

I woke up one morning to the rays of the sun, muted by the rice paper doors of my room, glowing happily.  I wished I could be happy with them.  My two littlest brothers had been killed in the last battle with the Senju and my heart hurt.

I slid out from my bed roll and got dressed quietly before sliding the door open and heading for the training ground.  Grief and regret had killed my appetite, so there was no point in joining my family for a silent breakfast when I could practice instead.

I took a stance at the far end of a target field and pulled my bow from my back.  I rarely used it in battle, but it was my go to weapon when I needed to slow my mind and think.  I loosed arrow after arrow, letting time slide by me.

Maybe minutes later, maybe hours later -I couldn’t say for sure- I felt a bright, warm chakra approaching my target range.  I slowly let the tension from the bow string and lowered the bow to my side, slipping the arrow I had knocked back into it’s quiver.  Just as I turned my head to look in the direction of the chakra signature my little brother burst through the tree line.

“Kaida!  Train with me!”  His excited demand got a small smile to play across my lips.

“All right, little brother.  Where is Anija?”

Izuna’s sudden scowl surprised me.  “I don’t know.  He disappeared after breakfast.”

I raised an eyebrow.  ‘That’s not like him.’  Letting my eyes slide closed I pulsed my sensing out as far as I could.  ‘There!  He’s heading toward…Naka River.  Hm.’

“He’ll be fine,” I said softly as I opened my eyes.  I didn’t know why, but him going to the Naka filled me with…hope?  Strange.  I shook my head, the small smile still playing on my lips.  “Let’s get started, little brother.”

I Body Flickered to the edge of the clearing and gently rested my bow and quiver against a tree before I Body Flickered back to the center.  I let my hands rest lightly on the hilts of my dual daggers and looked at Izuna expectantly.

“Well?”

He drew his sword with a look of determination.  “I have to get strong enough to beat that Senju scum Tobirama.  I have to, Aneki.”

I frowned.  “Izuna…”

Then he charged me and I yanked my daggers out in my typical reverse grip to block his strike, falling to a knee and crossing my wrists above my head to catch his blade with my own.  I pushed savagely and he fell back a couple feet, sizing me up before charging again.

Any words I might have said were swallowed up in the dance of our blades.  He, always on offensive; me, perfecting my defense so nothing would get through me.

Which was probably why I was such a disappointment to our father.  I had no desire to take lives, only defend my own and those of the ones I loved.

The clan had such high hopes when I was born -large chakra pools and a learning curve to rival an adult sometimes- only to be thoroughly let down after my first three battles when I hadn’t caused a single casualty, fatal or otherwise, to the opposing side.  That was a little over a year ago, right after my ninth birthday.

My father raged.  Told me I was a disappointment and that the only reason he knew I was truly his child was because Madara was everything he should be.  My only saving grace was that I was a twin and my twin was what our father expected of us.  After that I decided I would rather live to my standards than the standards of anyone who truly expected children to kill each other.

Metal clashed as Izuna and I whirled and twirled around the field, a deadly dance that only we could perform so well because I focused so wholly on defense.  Every move he made I met with an equal, calculated counter, intended not to harm but to ensure that neither of us sustained any damage.

He never had to hold back with me because no matter what he decided to throw at me my defense was better than his offense and likely always would be.

Finally he seemed to be satisfied and lowered his weapon with a cheeky grin.  I sheathed my daggers and fell onto my butt, legs and arms burning after jumping straight into a full out spar with my little brother.  I breathed deeply, willing my lungs into submission and glanced over at Izuna.  I knew better than to think sparring with me was a challenge for him.

He could fight on the same level as the genius of the Senju clan.  Fighting someone who will only defend themselves certainly tests sheer strength and maybe tactics, but these spars between us were purely for my benefit and we both knew it.  The more talented he got, the stronger he would force my defense to become.  The stronger he forced my defense to become, the safer I would be in the field whether or not I wounded opponents.

What he may not have realized was that it would also make those around me safer as well.  If our enemies couldn’t get past me then they wouldn’t have a chance to harm the people around me.

I guessed under that same logic, it would make them safer too.  They couldn’t get hurt or killed if they were spending their time on the one Uchiha who would never cause an injury.

“What,” he scowled in my direction.

“Maybe you can get Anija to spar with you after lunch.  I’m sure he would be happy to challenge you more than I can.”

He snorted delicately, “You would challenge me just fine if you stopped holding back.  I know you, you’re perfectly deadly.  That’s how you’re able to be so  _not deadly_.”

I blinked at him, half surprised and trying to look innocent.  “Whatever are you talking about, little brother?”

His eyes narrowed dangerously.  “I watch you more than you may realize, Kaida.  No one is around us, right?”

I felt my eyes widen and quickly pulsed my sensing out, not thinking about why he could possibly think I would know if we were alone and nodding when I couldn’t feel any chakra signatures close by.

He came over to sit in front of me and leveled me with the most serious look he could.

“I know you’re a sensor and I know you’re hiding it.  I also know that you could be the most deadly of us all, more than even Anija if you wanted.”

My breathing sped up as I felt panic coil in my gut like acid.  ‘He’s going to tell Father.  Father will force me to Sense the Senju so we can kill even more of them.  I’m never going to be able to wash all that blood away!’

Suddenly Izuna’s small hand squeezed my shoulder and pulled me from my panic just enough to focus.

“Aneki, I’ll keep your secret.  I just want to know  _why_  it’s a secret.”

My voice came out small and scared, “How could you know how deadly I am?”

His lips twitched, “Because to absolutely never draw the blood of an enemy without making it look intentional, especially on battlefields full of Sharingan, your aim has to be absolutely perfect and your planning has to be even better.”

He paused for a moment before he continued quietly, “You could take down Tobirama himself without breaking a sweat, couldn’t you?”

I swallowed the lump in my throat and pulsed my sensing out again to be absolutely sure Izuna would be the only one to hear my reply.

“Yes,” I breathed softly.

He nodded once.  Obviously the answer he expected and which he knew to be true, since it had barely been phrased as a question to start with, but he seemed glad I hadn’t tried to lie.

“Right, well, why is your sensing a secret?”  Izuna’s curious look made me sigh.

“Because if Father knows I’m a sensor he’ll force me to use it.  I’ll be at the forefront of every battle and even more lives will be lost.  It doesn’t matter to me that those lives will belong to the enemy, I’ll never be able to wash all that blood off my hands.”  I was looking at my forearm by the end of my explanation, tracing the words under the wrappings as I always did when I got upset.

Izuna’s hum pulled my eyes to his and the softness there made me lose my breath.

“Your secrets are safe with me, Aneki.  I’ll train with Anija when he returns from wherever he is right now, and I’ll continue to spar with you so you can keep your appearances.”

At the mention of where Madara might be right now a soft smile graced my face.  “I’ll let you know when he’s on his way home then.”

* * *

That night as I got ready for bed I removed the wrappings from my left arm and stared at the black words.  My soul words.  I wondered, as I always did when I looked at them, what words could be on the person who would eventually say these to me.  What would be the first words I could possibly say to my soulmate?

Shaking my head to clear it I finished getting ready for bed and then I opened the door in my room so I could stare out into the garden.  The moon was high and cast a silvery light on everything below.  It was absolutely beautiful, my favorite time of night.

I let my Sharingan activate so I could burn this beauty into my mind, never to be forgotten, then I closed the door and laid down to drift away into sleep.


	2. Secrets Revealed

The next few weeks passed both in a blur and agonizingly slow.  Madara would leave after breakfast nearly every morning and come home an hour before dinner.  He would probably stay away longer, but Izuna wanted to train with him and he knew it.

It would be hard not to know since the moment he came back every day Izuna was there immediately, asking to train. 

Any time Izuna complained to me about Madara’s absence I would only smile.  A small thing, really, the smile of a secret not yet ready to be revealed.  I wasn’t exactly sure _why_  Madara kept visiting Naka river, but I somehow knew without a doubt that it was a good thing that he was going there.

How I knew that was another thing I wasn’t exactly sure of, but it was a fact easily ignored.  Possibly just a twin’s intuition.

One day though, I woke up and when Madara left so did Izuna.  I was at my training ground, waiting for Izuna to come spar.  When he was late I frowned to myself.  Izuna was never late.  Not to our daily spar, at least.

I slid my eyes closed and pulsed out my senses, when I didn’t find him anywhere in the compound my concern morphed to worry.  Pulsing my senses farther out was easy.  With every pulse of my Sensory technique I pushed the range, searching for where my little brother could possibly have gone and finally, _finally_ , found Izuna’s signature.

Far too close to the Naka river.

The minute I realized that Izuna’s curiosity had finally gotten the better of him it was like I had been punched in the stomach.  All the air left my lungs in a rush.  Izuna wasn’t going to be coming to our spar, but that was a small thing in the face of the inexplicable knowledge that Madara wasn’t going to be going to the river much longer.

Once again, I wasn’t sure how I could possibly know that, but it was just added to the growing list of things I couldn’t possibly know yet somehow did.

I sat in my training field for hours.  I didn’t come home for lunch.  I just sat there with my sensing pulses stretched to the Naka.  Izuna’s chakra was flickering like an angry flame, but he wasn’t battling so I didn’t give it much thought.  Madara’s chakra was glowing contentedly, but the most interesting thing was that every now and then someone else would barely brush the edge of my pulses.

Someone too bright, overflowing with chakra and almost uncomfortably warm compared to what I was accustomed to sensing.  If only I could sense a little farther!  Then again my sensing range was larger than any I knew of.  I was fairly certain it was larger than even Senju Tobirama’s, but I couldn't really ask anyone to find out.

When I finally felt Izuna moving I stood.  He was on his way home.  I retracted my sensory pulses, keeping them just a little farther out than where Izuna was and walked across the compound to where he would emerge from.

When I got to the edge of the compound closest to Izuna I crossed my arms and settled into a glare that could rival my twin.  Then I waited.  Eyes glued to the treeline in the direction of my little brother’s angry chakra.

The moment he broke through the treeline he made a beeline for our house, not even sparing a glance for me.  Which irritated me all the more, since it wasn’t often I glared at anybody.  Almost never my little brother.

I turned and followed him, eyes boring into the back of his head.

“Don’t, Kaida.”

“Don’t what, _Little Brother_?”  The venom in my voice gave him pause.

“Don’t get mad at me when you wouldn’t let me in on the secret.”

I faltered for a moment.  “Secret?”

Izuna whipped around to face me, betrayal shining in his eyes.  “Follow.”  He shot off towards my training ground.  I shot off after him.  He wouldn’t look at me when we finally got there.

“Alone?”  Whatever he was going to say to me he didn’t want anyone overhearing.  I hummed an affirmative and he turned to face me.

“You knew, Kaida.  You knew where he was going and you said nothing!”

“Of course I knew _where_.  I’m a sensor.  I knew the minute you told me he disappeared after breakfast.  Why does that matter?”

“Why does it _matter_?”  His voice rose an octave.  “It matters because if I had _known_  I could have been prepared with an excuse when Father asked me to tail him this morning.  I would have known what to say.  Instead, now I have to tell Father that Anija is going to the river to skip rocks with some boy we don’t know.”

“So where’s the harm in skipping rocks, little brother?  And I didn’t know _why_  he was going there, only that he was!”

Izuna huffed at me.  “The harm, dear Aneki, is that this boy is a ninja.  The way he throws stones shows he’s more accustomed to shiruken.”

I blinked in surprise.  Anija was spending almost all his free time with…someone from another clan?

“That’s not all, Aneki.  They sparred today after they skipped rocks.  I recognized his fighting style.”

Ice ran through my veins.  There weren’t many fighting styles Izuna bothered to remember.

“Whoever that boy is, he’s a Senju.”

I choked on air.  Madara spending time with a Senju?  Surely he didn’t know the boy was Senju.  As much as I loved my twin, he could be an idiot.  It wouldn’t be completely impossible for him to not realize who this boy was.

“Crapbaskets,” I breathed.  Normally my little not-curse would get a snicker out of Izuna.  Today, however, he only nodded.

“Now I have to go tell Father.  I have no choice.  I know you keep saying he’ll be fine, but Father will not be happy about this and I can’t lie to him.”

“Do what you must.”

With that Izuna left me to my thoughts.  My mind raced, trying to find any way possible to fix this.  I came up completely empty.  When Madara’s chakra passed into the range of my sensory pulses I started walking back toward the house.  I needed to see how this would play out.

I was in the living room when Madara walked in the front door.  He took one look at my face and was across the room before I could say anything.

“Kaida, what’s wrong?  Are you hurt?”

“Anija..."  My eyes were wide as I tried to find the words to warn him, but it was too late and my expression and tone of voice were all the warning he would get.

At that moment the door to Father's office slid open and Madara whipped around to see Father glaring down at him from the end of the hall.

"Madara, you will come in here."  The voice our father used was icy and hard.  I shuddered and found myself gripping my twin’s arm tightly.  Madara pried my hand from his forearm and gave me a sympathetic expression before walking down the hall toward the office.

Once Father shut the door behind them I fed chakra to my ears to enhance my hearing.  Whatever happened behind that door, I needed to know whether Father thought I did or not.

"Father, what is Izuna doing here?"

"You will speak when spoken to Madara.  Do you have any idea who this boy is that you've been spending your time with?"

There was a pause after Father's words, presumably Madara trying to process how Father found out.

"Izuna…?"  His voice was small and hurt and it nearly broke my heart.

"Answer me, Madara!"  Father snapped impatiently.

"His name is Hashirama, Father, that's all I know!  I swear!"

"Well then allow me to enlighten you on your new friend.  He is Senju Hashirama, future head of the Senju clan."

Madara's choked gasp followed Father's revelation and I clapped my hand over my mouth to muffle the strangled cry I let out in spite of myself.  The future clan head?  Madara had been spending every day for weeks with...not just any Senju, but _the_  Senju.  My stomach turned.  Father continued.

"It would be a great blow to the Senju if we were to eliminate this boy.  You will go to the river again tomorrow like nothing has changed and we will follow you.  Your sister will stay here, she is too soft and weak for a plot of this caliber."

Madara's indignant response had my heart in my throat and my stomach dropping through the floor at the same time, almost like they couldn't stand to be close to each other anymore.

"Kaida is  _not_  weak!"

The sound of flesh against flesh made me flinch.

"Quiet, boy.  She is weaker than any of us.  How she has managed to stay alive this long is a miracle, but she does not concern us at the moment.  You have been told of the plan, you are dismissed."

I let the chakra drain away, no longer needing enhanced hearing and I watched as Madara exited the office.  He looked at me, then flicked his eyes to the door.  I flicked my eyes to the ceiling and back to him in agreement.  Izuna came out and looked at us.

Madara held my gaze for a moment longer, having an entire conversation with the movement of our eyes alone before he huffed and stormed out of the building.  I smirked at the display in spite of everything that had just happened.

I turned to Izuna and twitched my index finger, a sign only he knew as "follow".  He arched a delicate eyebrow.  I barely twitched my lips.  His eyes narrowed.  I stood, having no more patience for a conversation that was going nowhere.  Either he would follow as I had instructed or he wouldn't.

I left the house through the back door and took to the trees to get to my training ground.  The one place in the whole compound my twin felt safe speaking freely.  It was out of the way of all the other important areas of the compound and, though he didn’t realize __how__ , he knew that I would know if anyone got within hearing distance of it.

I dropped to the ground as soon as I reached the clearing and shot across the field to slam into my twin.

“I’m so sorry, Anija.  I tried to warn you but they didn’t give me time!”

“How could he!”  Madara raged at me, “How could Izuna do this to me?”

“My twin, Father made him follow you today.  I talked with him before he told Father, but neither of us could find a way out of it.  Please, forgive him.”

My twin growled at me just as my head whipped around to see Izuna break through the treeline.

“Anija, I’m sorry!  I couldn’t lie to Father, and I couldn’t cover for you because you hadn’t told us where you were going!  Even if I hadn’t known __why__ , I could have possibly come up with something to appease him had I known __where__.”

“You followed me!   _Spied on me_ , little brother!  How could you?”

“Anija…”  Izuna’s voice was weak and I turned to put a hand on Madara’s shoulder.

“My twin, it’s not Izuna’s fault.  The blame for what will happen tomorrow lies solely at our father’s feet.”

Madara looked at me with something near betrayal in his eyes.

“You mean to tell me that even you see no way out of this, Kaida?”

I blinked, then looked over at Izuna who locked eyes with me.  “I didn’t tell him anything, I swear.”

“He didn’t have to.  I’m your twin, Kaida.  I may be oblivious at times, but I know that you’re stronger than the clan thinks.”  His hand came up to grip my forearm lightly.  “That’s why I defend you to Father no matter the punishment.”

“Well, crapbaskets.”  Madara snorted and Izuna rolled his eyes.  “Fine.  No, Mads, I see no way out of this.  I will follow tomorrow and keep watch for an opportunity, but I doubt any of us will be able to stop Father’s plan.  The most you could hope to do is find a quiet way to warn your friend.  One that would go unnoticed by Father.”

Madara grunted in response.

“Let’s go get some rest…we have a long day tomorrow.”  The sadness in my voice floated through the field and my brothers only nodded in reply.  We set off for home in silence, each of us lost in our own thoughts of what the next day might bring.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I was honestly surprised at how easy this chapter was to write and how long it ended up being. I was entirely planning on this chapter having the Naka river confrontation, but I looked at my word count when Madara got home and realized that this chapter would be twice as long as the first chapter if I did that. So yay, more chapters than I thought there would be! :D
> 
> Side note: I /totally/ pull on Michael from The Vampire Diaries/The Originals for Tajima's attitude in this fic. No shame. /Especially/ when he calls Madara "boy".
> 
> Additional side note: "Crapbaskets" is a nod to TeamFourStar's DragonballZ Abridged on Youtube. If DBZ is your thing and you like parodies, I definitely recommend it if you haven't already seen it
> 
> Edit: Senju Destinies begins during this chapter, so if you would like to read those snippets in the Senju perspective as they relate to this story you know where they start now! :)


	3. My Soulmate Is Who?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hey, two chapters in one day. Go me! Enjoy chapter three, my lovelies!

The next morning dawned bright and disgustingly happy for how grim my brothers and I were.  Our father’s plan had kept me awake most of the night.  Some of that time was spent trying to find a way out of the plan Father had concocted, some of it was spent staring at my soul words with a sick feeling.  If I couldn’t stop this, if I was complicit in the murder of my brother’s friend…I wouldn’t deserve whoever was bound to me by words they had yet to speak.

I rose slowly, unwillingly, and got dressed.  I wrapped my left arm as always, left my right one bare, and strapped my daggers to my hips.  Breakfast was a quiet thing, and when my brothers and father left I waited until I felt them 500 yards past the treeline before darting out to follow after them.

Whatever was going to happen, I couldn’t hope to stop it by sitting at home worrying.  I promised my brothers I would be there, looking for a solution.  I pulsed my sensory chakra as I ran, keeping my twin just inside the range.  When they made it to the Naka and I felt that bright chakra from yesterday there, I sped up.  I made it to the river just in time to see Madara and the boy throw each other a stone.

When my twin’s shoulders tensed up almost imperceptibly I pulsed my chakra out to the other edge of the river.  There in the trees out of sight of Madara were two more chakra signatures.

So the Senju found out too and had the same idea.  Well, the silver lining to this would be that it was now that much more likely that the boy would survive my father’s plot.

In the next instant, the trees on either side of the river erupted and my father was facing down what could only be the Senju clan head.  Their swords were held at the ready and they traded words back and forth, but I wasn’t listening.  I was focused on the boy facing off against Izuna.

That white hair, those red eyes, he could only be Senju Tobirama, and if he was here…  As if on queue his eyes slid over to exactly where I was hidden.

“ _You in the trees, come out and face us._ ”  His clear voice rang across the clearing and I nearly choked at the tingle in my left forearm.  Well crapbaskets.  This was an interesting turn of events.

Clearing my throat I stepped out of the trees, locking eyes with Madara as he raised a brow.  I had been keeping my words covered for long enough that Father had apparently forgotten them, but obviously my twin had not.

I said nothing in return, needing to process the information I had just uncovered.  My eyes shifted back to the scene in front of me and I read the intention in the Senju clan head’s eyes before he could think to move.

In an instant I Body Flickered across the clearing to the space between my little brother and the Senju clan head’s sword, sliding my daggers free in a reverse grip and crossing my wrists to catch his blade before it could get close to Izuna.

His strike was stronger than Izuna’s and it drove me down to one knee against my will.  Apparently Father had thought of the same plan, because Hashirama was next to me blocking Father’s blade from harming his brother.  My father had tried to kill my soulmate.

A strangled sound slipped free of my lips and my father’s eyebrow twitched.

“I thought you were to stay home, child.  You’re too weak for a battle like this, nearly too weak for any battle.  Why are you here?”  Father’s voice was hard, he wasn’t pleased but I couldn’t bring myself to care.

“I’m here to defend lives, Father.  Nothing more, nothing less.”  My voice was strong and sure and Hashirama looked at me in wonder.

“You look like Madara!”  The amazement in his voice made me snort as I pushed against his father’s blade.

“Well that would make sense, as I’m his twin sister.”

“Quiet!”  Our fathers snapped simultaneously.

“Madara, are you stronger than this boy?”  My father sounded as though the only answer he expected was an affirmative.  So when Madara answered with “No, Father, he is stronger than I am,” he couldn’t quite hide the flicker of surprise in his eyes.

“Hn.  Well then, we should retreat.  Your sister’s presence does nothing to sway the odds in our favor.”

He and Izuna leaped back, but I stayed just long enough to whisper “I’m sorry I couldn't stop this, Hashirama.”  Then I Body Flickered back to the tree line as the clan head tried to overpower me again, putting him off balance and causing him to take a step forward to keep his footing.

I slid my daggers home and spared one last glance for my apparent soulmate and his family, then I turned and ran.  I kept my senses at the river, but it seemed as though they weren’t going to follow us.  Father was standing on the porch with his arms crossed when I reached the compound, my brothers were nowhere to be seen.

"What were you thinking, Kaida.  You went explicitly against my wishes.  You're lucky it didn't get your brother killed."

"I was thinking that I couldn't let my twin and my little brother face the Senju without me, Father."

"Is that you doubting them?  Or me?"  Father bit out.

"Neither, Father.  It was confidence in my ability to defend them."  My response was just as hard.

"Well, child, now that you've outed yourself as the twin sister of the future clan head you will join your brothers on every battlefield.  Since you're so sure you can defend them, that will be your sole purpose for the rest of your days."  He obviously meant this to be either an insult or a way to get rid of me so I couldn't ruin anything more for him.  He probably figured if I fell protecting my brothers it would guarantee war to continue.

I would have no problem following that order, but I would make absolutely sure that his plan to fuel the flames of hatred would fail.  "Yes, Father."

I pulsed my senses out as I walked slowly toward my training ground, I would need to discuss this revelation with both my brothers.  My sensory pulses told me they were already there waiting for me, so I quickened my pace, my fingers absently stroking my soul words under the wrappings.  "You in the trees, come out and face us."  I had been staring at those words every night for years, wondering who was on the other end of them.  To know that it was Senju Tobirama was a shock, but somehow I couldn't be upset.

I broke through the trees and my brothers snapped around to look at me.

"Aneki, what happened?  Father told us to leave, that he would speak to you alone!"  Izuna's borderline panic at the thought of Father being angry with me was endearing.  Madara's eyes were narrowed.  Anyone else may think he was glaring at me, I knew he was making sure I was okay.  That I hadn't been hurt, either by Father's temper or by the Senju clan head's blade.

I smiled.  "I have wonderful news, Brothers.  Father has informed me that I will be joining you both in every battle, to defend you and make sure neither of you fall."  They both choked.

"Are you kidding?!"  Izuna's shock was palpable in the clearing.  Madara was silent.

My grin turned icy.  "I'm almost positive he's given this assignment in the hope that if I fall defending you that it will fan the flames of hatred in you both."

Izuna snorted.  "Well it would work, Aneki.  I could never forgive someone for killing you."

"No, Izuna.  If I fall it will be no one's fault but my own.  I want you both to swear to me that from here on out, no matter if I die defending one of you or defending myself -no matter who my killer may be- you will forgive them.  Swear to me that my death, whenever it may be, will not harden you and turn you against my dream for a world where children are no longer expected to slaughter each other."   With each word I stepped closer and closer to them and by the end of my little speech I was right in front of them both, holding my hands out for them to take hold of.

"Please.  Even now, with no clue as to how I may die or who may kill me, I've forgiven them.  I need to know that you will do the same."

They both reached out, Izuna gripped my right hand and Madara gripped my left.

"I swear, Kaida."  Madara's quiet voice rumbled.

"I swear, Aneki," came Izuna's reluctant follow up.

Madara's hand slipped up to grip my forearm, his hand laying over my soul words with a question in his eyes.  I gripped his forearm back and simply drew "later" on his arm.  He released my arm and I released Izuna's hand.

"Alright, since I am officially your defender let's figure out some strategies for the coming battles.  Madara, Father will probably expect you to solely fight Hashirama from now on.  Izuna-"

"I'll be fighting Tobirama.  I know."  His eyes lit up with a dangerous gleam and I shared a look with Madara, clearing my throat.

"Yes, well.  Senju Tobirama is a genius, please keep that in mind.  Just because I'll be there to back you both doesn't mean you can rely on me and be as reckless as you like."

Izuna scoffed, "I'll be fine, Aneki.  I know better than to get over confident, but I also can't help but be excited that I get to fight him!"  Madara's hand landed on his shoulder.

"Let's fight, little brother."

The rest of the day slid away while my brothers and I took turns sparring each other.  One time they even agreed to test my defenses by fighting me together.  I lost spectacularly, but it was to be expected since I'd never really had to defend against two attackers before.  Not to say I didn't give them a run for it, I surely lasted longer than most would against the two of them.

When we all came through the back door for dinner Father was looking expectantly at us.  "And where have you three been."

"We were training together, Father," I replied quickly.  "If I am to truly defend them then I must train with them as often as possible so that their battle styles are as familiar to me as my own."  He nodded and stepped into his office.

"Fine.  Eat and then rest.  We have a battle tomorrow."

As the door closed we all looked at each other and sighed.

"Let's go, we'll worry later.  For right now I'm starving."  My light words were meant to cover the wave of unease.  What if I couldn't protect them?

"Everything will be fine, my twin.  There is no one I would trust more to protect me."

Dinner was quiet and afterwards we all went to bed.  Late that night, however, my door to the garden slid open and I sat up.  Madara was silhouetted by the moon and his shadow stretched across the floor to my bed roll.  "Come talk, my twin, I know you're worried."  I nodded and slipped out from under my covers to follow him into the garden.

He looked at me as I sat next to him at the koi pond, the moon reflecting back at us on the surface.  I nodded to let him know all the chakra signatures in the house were sleeping.

"So," he began quietly.  "Senju Tobirama, huh?"

I coughed lightly, "Wow Mads, way to approach the topic carefully."

He chuckled.  "Have you processed it yet?"

"Not really.  Honestly I'm surprised you remember my soul words at all, I've hidden them for so long.  Obviously Father doesn't remember them or I would probably be dead.  To dare have an Uchiha soul matched to a Senju."  I scoffed quietly before falling silent and staring at the reflection of the moon, my fingers tracing lightly across the words I had finally heard.

"Kaida, just because he's Senju doesn't mean you'll never be together.  Once I take over as clan head and Hashirama does the same maybe we can find peace."

I breathed out through my nose slowly before I raised my gaze to meet his.

"Anija, I knew you were going to the Naka river.  From the very first day you went there."  He blinked but I plowed on before he could respond.  "It filled me with a sense of hope.  I can't quite say why, but it did.  When I realized yesterday that Izuna had followed you I knew, I knew in my very soul that you wouldn't be going back and it was like a punch to the gut.  I don't know how I know these things, but I do."  I activated my Sharingan and he activated his in return.

"I feel that it's important for me to tell you this because there might come a time where I know something, something I could have no way of knowing.  If that time comes I want you to think back to this moment."  I took his hand in mine.  "Trust me, Anija.  Please."  When he nodded in response I let my Sharingan deactivate.

 

"Mads.  You can't tell Izuna.  If he knows he might hold back against Tobirama.  I can't let him do that.  Neither of them will get stronger if one is holding back."

"But-"

"No buts, Anija.  If he somehow finds out then tell him you didn't know or something.  Let me shoulder his anger at being kept in the dark.  He cannot know who my soulmate is."

Madara nodded reluctantly.  "Alright fine.  Let's go to bed, tomorrow promises to be difficult for both of us."


	4. The First of Many

The next morning saw my brothers and I up before dawn, strapping on weapons and grabbing a couple apples on the way out the door.  We met our squad of clan members at the gates to the compound and all shared a look before Madara called for them to gather around us.

There were a few wary looks directed towards me, but Izuna’s scowl quickly ended them.

“Father informed Kaida last night that from now on she will be accompanying Izuna and I on any and all battles we join.  She is to defend us up to and including her life.”

There were some shocked murmurs from the group as all their attention focused to me.  My shoulders were pulled back and my head was high and I looked every bit the Uchiha princess I was supposed to be.

“I accepted this order with the full intention of giving my life to save my brothers if necessary.  This order is permanent.  From now until I die, I will be at my brother’s sides in battle.”  For once in my very short ten and a half years of life, my clan looked at me with absolute respect instead of disappointment.  Madara drew their attention back to him.

“Kaida, Izuna, and I will take point.  Make sure you all keep up.”

As a unit my brothers and I took off and leaped into the trees.  I pulsed my senses out as far as I could without strain and smiled, “We’re fine for now, I’ll tell you the minute someone crosses into my range.”  Given that my range was about 4 miles without putting in any effort, that would be plenty of warning.

My sensing technique was basically a pulse of my chakra every few seconds that I could adjust the range of as needed, so it was a small thing to keep up over the hours we ran to our destination.

Once we got close I started pushing the range.  5 miles from the intended battlefield I touched Madara’s shoulder lightly as we ran and he looked back.

“They’re already there.  Hashirama and Tobirama are there.  The clan head is not.  Our numbers are equal.”

He nodded in acknowledgement, but waited until we were at the edge of the clearing to say anything to the rest of our group.  I was grateful to him that he was so careful to keep my secret.

We all stepped onto the battlefield and the Senju did the same.  Tobirama seemed to lock eyes with me and quirked an eyebrow, then he leaned to his brother and whispered something in Hashirama’s ear.  The older boy perked up and snapped to face me.

“Ah, crapbaskets.  Mads, they’ve spotted me.  And your friend looks excited to see me.”

“If he tries to hug you, dodge.  You’ll die of suffocation,” was Madara’s only reply.  I snorted.

“Thanks for the advice, Anija.”

“Glad to be of service.”  I could see his smirk from the corner of my eye and I scowled.

“After you, Anija.”

Madara, Izuna, and I stepped forward as one unit, though I was positioned just behind between the two of them.  Hashrama and Tobirama met us in the middle, standing about ten feet off.

“Madara please, we don’t have to be enemies!”  Hashirama called across the distance.

“Of course we do!  Our fathers will never accept peace, you know that!”  Madara's reply was angry.

Suddenly Tobirama spoke up.  “You there, the twin of the future clan head.  What is your name?”

I stayed silent.  My first words to my soulmate were definitely not my _name_.  Someone would have figured it out by now if Senju Tobirama had my name on his body.  Hashirama perked up at the mention of me, “Oh yeah!  Hey, why are you here?  We figured your father wouldn’t send you to battle!”

“He sent me here hoping I would die.”  My quiet clear voice floated across the gap between our groups and while my brothers tensed, Hashirama’s face went pale and he gasped.  Tobirama’s only reaction was a slight widening of the eyes.

“What do you mean?  Why would he want his only daughter to die?”  Hashirama’s voice wavered with emotion.

“Because I am a disappointment to him.  Enough talk, Hashirama.  My twin is right, there can be no peace so long as our fathers reign.”

As one, Tobirama and Izuna turned and signaled for our opposing sides to begin the battle.  Then my brothers jumped into the fray, meeting the two Senju boys head on.  I slid my daggers from their sheathes and slipped into my starting stance.

A Senju I’d never seen came rushing at me, sword held high.  I smirked.  “Well, come on then.  Waste your time with me so you don’t hurt anyone else.”

She swung her sword down at me and I grinned as I caught it the same as every other overhead sword swing.  My wrists crossed and her blade locked between mine.  I let her push me to a knee, gave her a little more room so she overextended without realizing it, then I rocketed off the ground.  She stumbled backwards as I did a flip in the air to land behind her.

I slid my daggers home, grabbed her arm and with some help from my chakra enhancing my strength, I tossed her back toward her clan.  I looked to my brothers, they seemed to be holding their own and it looked like the Senju hadn’t gotten the hint because she was charging for me again.

She tried to slash me from the side this time.  I pulled my daggers free again and blocked her with the flat of one blade.

“You don’t take hints very well, do you.”  I used my daggers to redirect her blade, ducking under her swing and I planted my foot firmly against her rear to send her back to her clan again.

I glanced over and saw Izuna miss a step.  In an instant I was there blocking Tobirama’s strike.

“Ah, so you join the fight, Uchiha girl.”  Tobirama smirked but the hatred for the Uchiha burning in his eyes made my heart stop.  I shoved him backwards.

“Little Brother!  Now!”  I Body Flickered behind Izuna and he went back to dueling Tobirama one on one.

Madara was still holding his own against Hashirama, who was still begging Madara to consider peace.  I snorted.  Well at least I could be fairly sure that by the time Madara took over the clan and could accept an offer of peace, Hashirama would probably still be asking.  Little comforts I supposed.

The rest of the battle was spent with me fending off stray Senju fighters trying to get my brothers from behind.  When they realized they would have to take me out to get behind my brothers it got a little rougher.  A pair of them came for me at the same time.

They were pretty simple, if I was being completely honest.  One of them was a genjutsu caster, but even without my Sharingan active my sensory pulses disrupted my chakra enough that she couldn’t get them to stick.  With a frustrated growl she attacked me with her staff.

“How are you immediately breaking free without a Sharingan you little witch?!”  I blocked her wild swing with my daggers as she screeched at me.

“Carefully.”   She screamed at me again -this time just a noise of wordless rage- and I twirled out of the way as her friend came down at me with a sword, narrowly missing her.

“Woah you could have killed her!  What was that?”  They blinked.

“What do you care, little witch?  We’re your enemies!”  The woman snarled and lunged at me again.  This time when I blocked her I got in close to her face.

“When this battle is over, talk to your other comrades who fought me.  Find out how many of them were injured by me.  Then tell me that I don’t care,” I whispered sadly.  Then I used the Body Flicker to return to Madara’s side.

“Anija, they’re starting to attack me in pairs.”  My yell was loud enough to carry to Hashirama who blinked.

Madara let out a roar of anger.  “Hold on!  I didn’t say that so that you’d kill them all, Anija!”  As if on queue Hashirama reached out with his mokuton and snatched the pair coming for me.

“If we are having to team up to take out a girl who the clan head claims is the weakest of the Uchiha, we have no business fighting this battle!  Better for us to retreat with all our lives and fight again another day!”  Hashirama’s voice carried across the battlefield and Madara immediately ordered the Uchiha to withdraw in turn.

He sent a grateful half nod to Hashirama before retreating with Izuna.  I stayed half a heartbeat longer again to stare at Tobirama.  When he looked my way I slid my gaze to Hashirama before we could lock eyes and I could see his hatred again.

“Thank you Hashirama.  For what it’s worth, I want your peace too.”

Then I returned to my brothers with a Body Flicker and a sad smile for my twin.

I sent out a pulse of chakra to confirm they were truly retreating and nodded softly.

“They’re leaving.  We should do the same.”

* * *

 

That night we camped at the edge of the Uchiha lands and I took the first guard shift.  I was sitting in a tree, pulsing my chakra out in a 4 mile radius every three seconds to make sure our group stayed safe.

I had activated my Sharingan and stared at the moon, nearly the only thing I would use my eyes for much to the chagrin of most of my clan.  I heard a sound behind me and let the chakra drain from my eyes before I turned to look.  Madara was easing up to me.

“Hey, Kaida.  Do you want to talk?”

“Izuna needed my help for a moment today.  Just one sword stroke that I needed to block, but it was enough.  Tobirama looked right at me and I could almost feel my heart shatter.  I could see his hatred for our clan in his eyes.”  My soft whisper barely broke the stillness of the night and I turned my eyes back to the moon.

“Mm.  Yes, Hashirama mentioned that the rest of his family is very bitter about the deaths of his two younger brothers.  Once I found out his clan name I found their death records.  They were killed by our clan.”

“You said ‘the rest of his family’, what about Hashirama himself?”  Madara chuckled softly at my musing.

“If he held it against us, would he be offering peace?  That would be like me asking you if you hold the deaths of our little brothers against the Senju.”  I shook my head softly and he pulled me to him.

“I know you don’t blame them, if you did you would start hurting them.”

“Mm,” was my only response, then I started softly humming the lullaby our mother used to sing and stared into the middle distance.  I wasn’t sure I could stand to see that hatred in Tobirama’s eyes again.


	5. Izuna Discovers A Secret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time skip, yay! Kaida and Madara are now 17 years old.

Years rolled by and the Uchiha faced the Senju in countless battles.  I had been right when I assumed Hashirama would still be begging for peace when Madara took the clan from our father, but Madara had yet to accept those offers.  He was concerned about backlash from the Elders.  I could understand that, and while I wanted the peace he offered, Hashirama had yet to take his place as head of the Senju.  His father was still alive.

Which meant that peace wasn’t truly his to offer yet.  It seemed Tobirama tried to convince him of that on more than one occasion but Hashirama would shrug those concerns off.  It was really rather entertaining to watch them interact.

A few years back I had taken to sending out sensory chakra pulses for days and weeks on end until it was basically the same as breathing.  I didn’t know what I would do without the constant awareness of my surroundings now and I still cursed myself for not making the effort sooner.  My subconscious pulses covered about four miles, but after training it and getting more adept with chakra control if I put in effort I could consciously make it almost seven miles.

I was sitting in my training field thinking over all the opportunities for peace that had to be passed by because old people couldn’t leave well enough alone, and sinking deeper and deeper into one of my moods, when one of my chakra pulses caught Izuna coming back from a supply run.

Once Madara had taken over the clan he rescinded Father’s order for me to accompany them both whenever either went out of the compound.  He left it to me to choose my new assignment and I chose to be his personal guard.  As much as I couldn’t bear anything to happen to Izuna, over the years it had just gotten harder and harder to listen to his hatred of Tobirama.

I still accompanied them to their battles, but it was more for formality now.  Madara would be fine facing Hashirama, neither really wanted to kill the other so it was more like a spar than anything for them.  Which meant I could watch Izuna’s back more closely.

Tobirama in battle was a deadly thing of beauty.  Quick and sure and…his hatred for the Uchiha was nearly palpable.  I had caught his gaze a few more times in battle after that first time and it was like a knife through my heart each time.

Before battle -when his brother would beg mine for peace- he would look at me with something resembling curiosity and maybe even softness, but once the battle began I was always just “Uchiha Girl”.  Of course part of that could have been because after all these years he had yet to hear my name.  Izuna always called me “Aneki” and Madara always said “my twin” if he needed to refer to me or catch my attention.

Somehow my name had ended up as the biggest secret of the Uchiha clan.  It was rather comical if I stopped to think about it.

I stood and used the Body Flicker to get through the woods and to the house I shared with my brothers.  I walked through the door to the office as Izuna finished his report.

“Hello, little brother.”

“Aneki,” Izuna groaned, “I’m 16 now.  Will you please stop calling me little brother?”

I met his eyes with a smirk.  “Fine, Izuna-chan then.”

“I take it back.  Call me little brother all you want so long as you never speak that honorific again.”

“As you wish, little brother.”  I smiled sweetly at him.  He huffed and left the room, Madara looked at me with a cross between humor and irritation.

“Why must you pick on him so?”

“Because,” I responded with a grin and poked my twin's forehead, “If I don’t then he’ll think I’m nice.  I couldn’t bear to have my reputation tarnished like that.”

Madara snorted.  “Yeah, sure.  Whatever you say, Kaida.”

“Since he’s home are you ready for our spar?  I know I don’t have to keep protecting you since you rescinded Father’s order, but I meant what I said.  I intend to follow that order until I can’t anymore.”

Madara sighed.  “Yes, just let me finish this paperwork and I’ll join you two.”

I ducked out of the office with a smile and made my way to the kitchen to pick up an apple.  I hopped up to sit on the counter and grinned at Izuna as he rummaged through the refrigerator.

“What, Aneki?”

“Anija said he’ll meet us for a spar when he’s done with his paperwork.”

Izuna sighed and turned around to cross his arms and glare at me.

“You’ve been following that idiotic order Father gave you for seven whole years, Kaida.  When are you going to take a break and just…enjoy your life?”

I scowled at him.  “I can’t enjoy my life, little brother.  You still have to go out and battle the Senju genius at every turn, children are still fighting and dying and killing far too young.  This world is covered in a darkness that I cannot ignore and I cannot enjoy, and I cannot rest until I know that people are safe!  Not just my people, but people from other clans too!”

Izuna scowled and I recognized the look in his eye as the one he got right before a particularly nasty rant about Tobirama.  I held a hand up.

“Tobirama is one of the people I want safe Izuna.  All of the Senju deserve peace just as much as anyone else.  They’ve suffered too.”

“Why do you always defend him, Aneki?!  What did Tobirama ever do for you to defend him the way you do?  I know that’s why you chose to be Anija’s guard instead of mine!  You can deny it all you want but I know it’s true.”

“Just tell him, Kaida.”  Madara stepped around Izuna to come stand next to me.  “He won’t give it a rest until he knows why you protect Tobirama like he’s one of your family.”

I locked eyes with Madara and then sighed.  It looked like I wouldn’t get out of this any longer.

“Tell me what?  What do you know that I don’t, Anija?”

“A lot,” was Madara’s sarcastic reply.  I used the impromptu squabble to remove the wrappings from my left arm and gazed at the words that had turned lavender that day at the river.  I ran my fingers along them and silence fell suddenly.

“Wait, you met your soulmate?!”  Izuna screeched, and I snapped my eyes up to meet his.  “When did you meet your soulmate and why didn’t you tell me but you told Mads?”

I sighed softly.  “I met him seven years ago at the Naka river.  When he called to me to come out from the trees.  I didn’t have to tell Madara, he remembered what my soul words were and recognized them.”

Understanding dawned in Izuna’s eyes and I continued.

“Had he not remembered them, I wouldn’t have told him either.  I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to give you a reason to hold back against him.  You’d never get stronger if you did.”

Izuna’s eybrows pulled together.  “Tobirama is your soulmate.”

I nodded sadly.  Completely expecting Izuna to be angry I slid from the counter and Body Flickered to the door.

“Aneki, wait!”  I heard Izuna call after me, but I was already through the door and Body Flickering away.

* * *

 

Izuna looked at Madara, confused at why their sister ran.

“She’s been hiding from it herself for a long time.  She didn’t just keep it from you, she kept herself from fully coming to terms with it.  That her clan hates her soulmate, but more importantly, that her soulmate hates her clan and, by extension her.”

“Does he know?  I’ve never heard her say anything directly to him, but I could have missed it.”

Madara shook his head.  “No, she’s never spoken to him and I’m the only other one who knows.”

Izuna snorted, “Well he doesn’t deserve her.  All these years and he still hasn’t tried to learn her name past the one time he asked her before that first battle?  I mean it’s not like we actively try to _hide_  her name, but still all I’ve heard him call her is ‘Uchiha Girl’.”

Madara placed a hand on his little brother’s shoulder to herd him to the door after their sister.

“He may not deserve her, but he has her all the same whether he knows it or not.  I don’t think she’s realized it herself, since she hasn’t even let herself come to terms with the match, but she’s already in love with him.  Once that idiot Hashirama takes his role as clan head and I can finally accept his peace…I may have to conspire with Hashirama, but she will have her chance to be with him.”

* * *

 

I had always used the Body Flicker technique a little more than most people did.  So it was a small thing to make it all the way to the Naka river solely using that.  Madara had a slight inclination for sensing, nowhere near my capabilities but enough that he would know I wasn’t on my training ground.

I didn’t feel like getting a lecture or having Izuna yell at me right then, so instead I had decided to come here.  I walked out onto the water and sank onto my knees.  Possibly my favorite part about chakra was that I could use it to stand, sit, or kneel on the water.  I had never been very big on swimming, so I eagerly learned this method for avoiding the need to swim entirely.

Plus I could do exactly what I was currently doing: sit in the middle of a river without sinking and watch the water rush past me.

I felt a cool chakra brush against the edge of my sensory boundary, I didn’t think about it really.  Whoever it was, they were still four miles away from me and unless they were a sensor as well they wouldn’t even know I was here.  The next chakra pulse had the signature farther within my range.

So it seemed they _were_  a sensor.  Well that issue was easily remedied, I consciously stopped my chakra pulses entirely.  I hadn’t tried to identify the chakra and hadn’t paid much attention to it other than the fact that it was _there_.  I just wanted them to go away and no one I knew of had a range long enough to sense me here from just under four miles away.  I would be fine.

I was not, in fact, fine.  In hindsight, ceasing my chakra pulses altogether was a stupid idea.  I stared at the water rushing underneath me, letting my fingers dip beneath the surface and wiggle under the water.

Rocks shifted and my head snapped up.  I found myself staring directly into the eyes of the one person in the world who could have sensed me from four miles away.

Senju Tobirama.

I shot to my feet and backed away.  Sure I had my daggers secured to my lower back, but he was the last person I wanted to use them against.

“I’m not going to attack you, Uchiha girl.  I just want to know your name.  Please?”

I whimpered softly but said nothing, my logic still holding that if my name was anywhere on his body the Senju would know who I was and I would be dead.

“I know better than to think you’re scared of me, you’ve come between my blade and your brother too many times for me to believe that.”

Gods, why wouldn’t my heart beat normally right now?  His gruff voice carried over the sound of the river and did funny things to my brain.  I couldn’t see an ounce of hatred in his eyes at the moment and the moonlight made his white hair nearly look liquid silver and his pale skin seemed to glow.

He was beautiful.

Without thinking I activated my Sharingan to preserve the image in front of me.  I may never be able to have him, but I would always be able to remember this moment.

He flinched and drew his sword and I yanked the chakra from my eyes so fast my head spun.  Of course he thought I was going to attack.  I was just another Uchiha to him.

The first tear to spill down my cheek was a surprise to both of us.  I turned on my heel and Body Flickered away before any more could fall.  I let my chakra pulses resume as I ran, relieved that he seemed to be staying at the river instead of chasing me and trying to kill me for showing my eyes.

Anija must have been worried when he realized I wasn’t at my training ground because he was waiting for me in our backyard when I broke through the trees.

He had been scowling, but upon seeing my tears he Flickered to my side and held me.

“Kaida, calm down.  What happened?”

“He…he f-found me…at the ri-river, Anija.”  I choked through the sobs and Madara stroked my ponytail to calm me down.

“Who found you?”

“T-Tobirama…” I whispered and immediately I felt him tense.

“What did he do?”  My twin’s voice was dark and bordering on angry.

“He asked me my name, he said he wasn’t going to hurt me but…” my tears had slowed enough that I could talk without stuttering.

“But?”

“He…He looked so beautiful in the moonlight.  I had to remember it.”

My tears quickened at the memory of him drawing his sword.

“What happened next, Kaida.”

“I used my Sharingan to remember it forever.  He thought I was attacking and drew his sword so…I ran.”

My twin held onto me tight as I started crying again.  At some point Izuna heard my sobs and came to join us, wrapping his arms around me silently and giving me all the support I could ask for.  Unseen by me they shared a look over the top of my head and Madara agreed to tell him what happened after I had gone to bed.

I ended up crying myself to sleep in the garden, nestled in the warmth of my brothers.  Right before I gave in to sleep I whispered to the air “I think I love him…”

Then the world went dark.


	6. Senju Heir Rises

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There won't be a Senju Destinies chapter to line up with this one, but that means I'll get the next chapter out that much faster!

I woke slowly the next morning, surrounded by warmth and suffocated by limbs.  Why were there so many arms and legs in my bed?

Wait.

How did I _get_  into bed?

I tried to think of the answer and slowly the night before came fading into view.  The Naka.  Tobirama.  Sharingan.  Crying.

Gods he had looked so beautiful though.  Looking back, now that I’d had sleep and wasn’t hysterical, I would probably do it all again to keep the memory of him practically glowing next to the water under the moonlight perfectly preserved forever.

My thoughts came back to the extra limbs in my bed.  I realized with a quiet laugh that my dorky brothers had sandwiched me into bed after I had cried myself to sleep in the garden.  I couldn’t help but love them just a little more for it.

I carefully extracted myself from my brothers and let them sleep a little longer while I went to the bathroom.  Predictably I was still in my clothes from last night.  One or both of my brothers had removed my daggers and the few light armor pads I had been wearing, leaving me in my day clothes.

As I washed my hands I looked down and froze.  I hadn’t had my arm wrapped when I left the house yesterday.  Tobirama had had an opportunity to see my words.

I knew it had been too dark for him to be able to read them, but surely he had noticed?  He was the genius of the Senju clan, known for how observant, clever, and curious he was.  It would be silly of me to hope that he had somehow missed that my soul words had been activated.

I did anyway.

I mean, if he noticed my words had been activated then he obviously had no reason to think _he_ was the one to activate them.  At least not until I finally activated his.  Ugh!

I left the bathroom and went to the kitchen to make some coffee.  I needed caffeine to deal with this train of thought.

Once my coffee was done I made some scrambled eggs and went to wake my brothers.

“Hey, lazy asses, breakfast is done.”  Izuna shot out of bed and started making his way toward the kitchen.  Madara grumbled and rolled over to go back to sleep.  “If you don’t come eat I’ll eat it all myself and you can find something else.”

He cracked one eye to glare at me, then he heaved a heavy sigh and crawled out of bed.

“I hate you.”

“I love you too!”  I chirped happily and bounced back to the kitchen.  Izuna had already piled his plate and claimed a spot at the table.  While Madara shuffled in to get his own plate made up and pour some coffee Izuna took the opportunity to talk.

“So.  Mads told me what happened.”

I raised an eyebrow toward my twin who ignored us both.

“Oh?”

“Mm.  I’d like to say I’ll kill him for making you cry, but that would probably make you cry more.  So I’m kind of at a loss to how to react to the whole thing.”

“You don’t react.  Next time we face them in battle we pretend it never happened.”

“Because that’s healthy,” Madara snarked as he finished his cup of coffee and got up to refill it.

“Hush, you.”  I replied.  It may not be healthy, but I didn’t really feel like I had a lot of options.

Izuna eyed my words.

“We uh…noticed when we were getting you into bed that you hadn’t covered your arm before you left the house.  Did he…?”

I shook my head, “If he did he didn’t comment on it, but it would be too much to hope that he didn’t.  So we can probably assume that he knows I’ve found my soulmate.  It was too dark for him to actually read the words or recognize his handwriting from that far away though.  If ever there was a time that I was thankful my favorite color is so light…”

“Why don’t you want him to know, Aneki?”  Izuna’s voice was soft and I dropped my eyes to the words on my arm.

“If he knew he was matched to an Uchiha, what do you think his reaction would be?  What about his clan’s reaction if they knew?”  I paused, then snorted softly.  “Aside from Hashirama.  Hashirama would probably try to arrange a marriage to simultaneously broker peace and place his little brother with his soulmate.”

Staring at my words, I completely missed the look that my brothers shared across the table.

A sudden knocking at the door drew us from our discussion and Madara rose to go see what was needed.  I hid my arm under the table in case whoever it was needed to come inside, but it seemed that it was an unnecessary precaution because my twin came back alone.

He cleared his throat as he came into the room.

“We have just been informed that Senju Butsuma has died.  His son Senju Hashirama has taken the role of clan head.”

I choked on my coffee.  Peace was closer now than ever and my traitorous mind went immediately to Tobirama.

Madara continued.  “We’ve also been informed that they’ve been hired to face us in battle.  Tomorrow.”

I cleared my throat and looked at Izuna.  “Well, it looks like we’ll get our chance to pretend nothing happened sooner than we expected.”  Izuna choked a surprised laugh and Madara sat at the table again.

“Kaida if you don’t feel up to facing him, you can stay home.  We won’t think any less of you.”

I shook my head.  “No I have to be there.”  The thought of not being there made my stomach turn.  Something would happen, something very bad would happen if I stayed home.

Izuna growled, “I swear if you’re saying that because of the stupid order-”

“I’m not, little brother,” I cut him off sharply and he looked at me in confusion.  I looked at my twin and let my eyes bleed red.  His Sharingan spun to life in response and I reached out to cover his hand with my left one.

“Trust me, Anija.  I need to be there.”  He nodded as I let my eyes return to normal and he did the same.

“Alright.  You’ll be right there with us.”

“Good.  Now, since I ruined our plans last night, let’s go get that spar in.  I have a feeling I’m going to need all the preparation I can get for this battle tomorrow.”  I stood and took our plates to the sink as the boys went to get their armor and weapons.

I grabbed my daggers from my room and Body Flickered to my training ground.  I was halfway through my warm up when Madara and Izuna joined me.

“You could have waited for us,” Izuna whined at me.

I smirked.  “Nonsense.  It’s not like either of you really need a warm up to fight me, but I sure as hell need one to fight both of you at once.  So why would I wait for you and then make you wait on me to warm up when I could just come here and get the warm up out of the way and nobody would need to wait on anybody?”

Madara snorted at my logic.  “Whatever, let’s get started.”  He pulled his sword free and Izuna did the same.  I smiled and waited for them to attack.

“Uh, Aneki?  Aren’t you going to pull your daggers?”  Izuna sounded worried and I smirked.

“I’m testing something.  Better to test it here on you two than in the middle of a real battle where it could fail and I could die.”

They shared a look and then charged.  I formed some hand signs I’d copied form one of the clan members when no one was watching.

The only thing I would use my Sharingan for aside from preserving beauty was learning jutsu.  Just because I wouldn’t use it to harm anyone didn’t mean it wasn’t useful to know.

I ended the three sign sequence and with a puff of smoke I turned into a small white cat.  My brothers paused.

“Well, come on!”  My voice sounded squeaky as a cat and I giggled.  Madara was the first to recover, coming for me and swinging his sword.  I nimbly dodged it.

Oh yes.  I could get used to this.  I should have had this jutsu years ago.

I laughed as I dodged their blows easily, becoming more and more accustomed to my smaller more flexible body.  I twisted between legs, jumped onto shoulders to leap through the air, danced out of the way of blades and feet and fists, and laughed the whole time.

It was exhilarating to feel so free.

The only downside to this technique, the only reason I wouldn’t want to just stay in a cat form for a majority of the time, was that I couldn’t use my sensory pulses or it would break the jutsu.  A minor setback and, if I had known this jutsu before I had grown accustomed to always knowing my surroundings, one that I could have possibly overlooked.

It was too late though, as much as I loved the new found freedom and flexibility and speed I was too accustomed to my sensory abilities and felt off balance to not have them.

Finally my brothers gave up and I let the transformation fall away.  They looked at me curiously.

“Where did you learn that?”  Madara finally decided to ask.

I snickered.  “Just because I won’t use them to hurt people doesn’t mean I don’t think jutsu are cool.  I copied it from Fukushi the other day when he was showing it to some kids.  He apparently copied it from a member of a minor clan in one of our recent battles.”

“Hn.  Well do you think it will work?  It looked pretty effective.”

“Yeah,” Izuna cut in, “You were all over the place!  It was so cool!  Plus you sounded like you were having a lot of fun.”

I hummed thoughtfully.  “I’m honestly not sure.  I can’t use sensory pulses while I’m transformed or it will break, and I’m not sure how I feel about that.  Maybe eventually I’ll be good enough with chakra control that I can separate the two, but for right now it’s a little outside of my skill range.”

Madara looked interested in the idea.  “Well you should keep working on it.  Izuna was right, you sounded like you were having fun.  It’s been a long time since I’ve heard you laugh like that, Kaida.”

I smiled at my twin and then at Izuna.  “Thank you for helping, Anija.  You too, little brother.”

Madara nodded then, “We should prepare for tomorrow, now.  Let’s go.”

My stomach dropped and I stood.  “You’re right, my twin.  We should.”

I Flickered away to go check the armory, my mind consumed with thoughts of tomorrow and trying to figure out why I was so worried.


	7. I Forgive You

I locked eyes with my twin as I met him and Izuna at the main gate the next morning.  He raised an eyebrow at my choice of armor.

Normally my confidence in my defensive capabilities showed thoroughly in my battle attire.  I usually only wore light weight armor, but the feeling I had about the coming battle hadn’t gone away.  It had only gotten worse as the time for us to leave grew closer.

Trying to prepare for whatever might be the outcome of the feeling coiling through my gut, I had donned a thick leather chest piece and my daggers were strapped to my hips instead of my lower back.

Our battlefield for the day was fairly close to home, closer than most of our battles had been at least.  It was on a set of cliffs next to a lake that was a three hour journey from our compound.

The minute I saw the location on a map the flipping of my stomach got worse.

Nothing good would come from this fight.

I drew up next to my twin, my lips pressed together into a thin, pale line.  He kept his eyes on me for a moment, then apparently decided to think better of asking in front of the clan members gathered around us.  Izuna came up and dropped a hand on my shoulder and I reached up to grab his wrist and hold on tight.

I had a white-knuckle grip on my little brother’s wrist throughout the trip to the battlefield and no one asked what might be wrong.  I kept my chakra pulses pushed to my range limit the entire journey.  Halfway there I edged a little bit away from the group so Izuna and I could have the pretense of privacy.

“Izuna, promise me that you won’t take it easy on him just because you know the secret.  Do not let up.  Not until you’re sure he’s done attacking, do you hear me?”

“I hear you Aneki.  I promise.  I have to ask though, why are you so freaked about this battle?  I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this…scared.”

“I don’t know,” I answered honestly.  “Which scares me even more.”

I edged us back into the group and Madara gave me a side look that I ignored.  I figured he had listened in.  I would have if it had been me.

I tapped the back of Madara’s hand about seven miles out.  The Senju were there already.

“They’re waiting.  Both brothers are there and their numbers are…slightly greater than ours.”

Madara grunted and we fell back into silence, leaving me to stew in my fear until we made it to the cliffs.

We stepped out from the trees in a single line.  I was sandwiched between my brothers and still gripped Izuna’s wrist tightly.  My gaze scanned the Senju to see who all was there.  There was the girl with the genjutsu and the staff from seven years ago, I had since learned her name was Touka.  Near her was the cousin who had almost hit her with an attack meant for me.

In fact, most of the Senju on the field I had fought at one point or another.  Which also meant that I’d had at least one chance over the years to kill a good portion of the people on the field in front of us and hadn’t taken it.

Madara, Izuna, and I stepped forward to meet Hashirama and his brother in the middle, as always, only this time Madara smirked.

“I hear you’ve been made the clan head, Hashirama.”

Tobirama’s eyes were boring into me and there was a sharp glint there.  He could see my fear, and I was sure he liked it.  I tightened my grip on Izuna’s wrist just slightly, before letting go altogether.

When Tobirama’s eyes left me to assess my little brother I caught the look in his eyes that he only ever had when there was a new trick up his sleeve.

Then the world slowly crashed around me, unknown to anyone else on the field.  Hashirama and Madara were quipping back and forth to each other about why accepting peace still wouldn’t work but I wasn’t listening.

I had identified the source of my fear.  I knew what was driving the knowledge that I had to be here for this battle.

Tobirama was going to kill my little brother.  My hand started shaking and my chakra crashed against its coils.  My soulmate fully intended to end my little brother during this battle.  He turned his eyes back to me and I knew he was picking up my emotions through my chakra with his sensory technique.

I was still staring at him in mute horror when Madara ended his conversation with Hashirama. I was only just regaining full awareness of what was happening around me and my realization was still rolling through my chakra.  It took every ounce of my pacifistic willpower to keep my Sharingan in check.

When I saw Madara start to signal to our clan my hand shot out and grabbed his wrist.  He turned to look at me with concern and I grabbed Izuna to make him look at me.

I tore my eyes from Tobirama.

“I love you both.  Remember that.”

“We love you too, Aneki.  What’s wrong?”  Izuna’s voice full of concern was like salt to an open wound, but I smiled anyway.

“Nothing, little brother, I just wanted to remind you both.”

Izuna nodded and turned back to stare down Tobirama, but Madara knew better.  He leaned over to whisper in my ear.

“You’re lying.  What is it.”

I smiled as I pulled away.

“Trust me, Anija.”

He scowled, but let the subject drop.  He signaled to our clan and the battle began.  I danced between blades and past Touka’s staff, blocking and twirling and redirecting, never causing a single injury just like every other battle.

What was _not_  like every other battle was how closely I paid attention to Izuna’s fight.  I stayed fairly close to them through the battle, intent on ruining whatever it was Tobirama had planned.  Hashirama still begged for peace even though Madara had told him it wasn’t time yet.  For once Tobirama didn’t seem to pay any attention to me after the battle began.

I wasn’t sure if I thought that was because he saw that my soul words had been activated or because he was that excited to kill Izuna.

I whimpered softly as I whirled out of the way of Touka’s staff.  Ever since our first fight seven years ago she had only ever seemed to fight me half-hearted at best.  I was actually relieved that she was my opponent for most of the battle, since I couldn’t seem to focus on much of anything past her cousin and watching for his scheme.

“You seem distracted today, little witch.”  The sneering tone was ruined by the small upward twist to her lips as I narrowly dodged an attack that normally would have missed me by a mile.

“Must be getting sick, Touka.  Careful, I don’t want you to catch it.”

She huffed a laugh, over the years she had become the closest thing to a friend that I’d had apart from my brothers, even without knowing my name.

“Only you would worry about an enemy catching a cold from you.”

My lips twitched in a smile.

“I hate to break it to you, little witch, but you’re stuck with me when you’re this far off your game.  I can’t have someone else catching you off guard.  I’ve been trying to beat you for so long that I don’t care if it takes you being sick for me to finally land a blow.”  Her words were devoid of all heat and I knew what she was actually saying.  She knew something was off with me and this was her way of repaying my care and attention for her and her clan members over the years.

She was fighting me to protect me the same way I protected her clan through the years.

I let a true smile come to my face.  “If anyone was to take advantage of my distractions, I’d be glad for it to be you.”

She snorted, “Careful, little witch, with words like that people might start to think the Uchiha have hearts.”

“Perish the thought,” I snarked easily as I ducked under a telegraphed swing.  Her “little witch” moniker for me had easily stuck after our first battle, though like with everything else between us it had lost all its heat.

I glanced over to my brother again and saw Tobirama smirk.  It was happening.  I looked back to Touka.  “I’m so sorry.”  I used the Body Flicker a second before Tobirama disappeared.  If Tobirama wanted blood, I would give him blood.

The next thing anyone who had been paying attention to either my fight or Izuna’s knew, I was standing in front of my little brother, my daggers still sheathed and my arms spread to shield him completely.  My eyes were blown wide as I stared into the shocked red irises of Tobirama.

His sword was sticking out of my chest.

I coughed up some blood.

“ _ _ANEKI!__ ”  Izuna’s panicked shriek rang across the battlefield and everyone froze.  No one had ever thought there was a possibility of me being injured before, considering no one had really been able to get close to landing a blow on me.

“KAIDA!”  I distantly heard my twin’s anguished cry as I reached with my hands to cover Tobirama’s over the handle of his sword and he flinched.

“ _I forgive you._ ”  My whisper barely carried but I knew he heard it and he sucked in a breath as his soul words flared to life.  I slid my eyes shut, unable to hold them open any longer.

Madara was next to me then, slowly lowering me to the ground and before he could make Hashirama come heal me Tobirama was kneeling next to me roaring for his brother.

“ **ANIJA HEAL HER.** ”

Hashirama was there in an instant, sending healing chakra to me, chattering a mile a minute.  He was apologizing to Madara and Izuna and me, and at the same time he was asking Tobirama why he was so upset.  Izuna was snarling at Tobirama and a cough rattled through my chest, painting more blood on my lips.

“Izuna…”  He whipped around and tucked his hand around mine.

“I’m right here.  I’m so sorry Aneki.”

“You…swore…”  I tried to open my eyes to glare at him, but I couldn’t.  Talking around the blood in my lung was the hardest thing I’d ever had to do, but I needed to remind them.  Everything was starting to sound like it came from the end of a very long tunnel.

“Remember…your promise…brothers.”

* * *

 

Madara’s eyes snapped to Tobirama.  “How could you?!”

Tobirama’s eyes were huge and his hand was pressed to the left side of his ribs.  He met Madara’s gaze head on.

“I didn’t know…she came out of nowhere.”  His voice was shaking.

Izuna snapped then.  “She came out of nowhere because she _knew_!  She hasn’t been herself since she found out we were battling again today!  She was _terrified_!  We’ve never seen her as scared as she was before this battle!”  He looked to his brother, “Now we know why she was so scared.  She knew I was supposed to die and decided to take my place.”

Madara let a snarl out and dipped his forehead to touch his twin’s hand.  “Come back to me, Kaida,” he breathed her name like it was a prayer all its own.

Touka was standing just behind Tobirama staring at Kaida's pale face.  “Tobes…what happened,” she whispered and he groaned.

Izuna decided to answer for his rival, who seemed unable or unwilling to answer her.

“He just stuck his sword through his own soulmate in his attempt to kill me.”

“Soulmate?”  Touka raised a hand to her mouth and Hashirama snapped his head up to look at Tobirama.

Tobirama nearly ripped his chest plate off to pull his shirt up and he stared at the words on his ribs.

“ _I forgive you._ ”  His words were no longer black, they were powder blue.  Izuna’s eyes snapped to the words.

“Of course she would forgive you!”  He let out a wordless scream of fury and grief and Madara grabbed his brother’s hand before the younger Uchiha could attack his rival.

“Izuna.  Remember what she just said.  We swore to her.”  Izuna snarled in response, but when he jerked his hand free he only took Kaida’s hand back in his and stared at his big sister.

“I remember.  Now I know I shouldn’t have.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't riot my lovelies, this isn't the end just a little hiccup. Do go re-read the tags if you don't remember the one I made about the ending. :) I love you all.


	8. Where Am I?

The first thing that came to me were muffled sounds.  It felt like my ears had been stuffed full of cotton because I couldn’t identify the sounds or any voices, and I definitely couldn’t make out any words if there were voices.  Things stayed that way for a while, floating along in that muffled world.  I couldn’t move or open my eyes either.  It was frustrating.

After a while, I have no idea how long, things gained a little clarity.  I still couldn’t make out any words, but I could distinguish voices and some of them I vaguely recognized.  There was nothing I could do with it though.  Vaguely recognizable voices whose words I couldn’t distinguish was still pretty useless in the scheme of ‘figuring-out-where-the-hell-I-was’ things.  So I kept sleeping.

“Why is she still sleeping?!”  An angry voice broke through my awareness one day.  I knew that angry voice.  That was my twin’s angry voice.  Was he talking about me?

“She died, Madara, -twice, actually, before I finally got her stabilized- that kind of thing doesn’t just wear off overnight.”  Hashirama?  Why was he here?  Who died?  If I could just open my damn eyes!

The next time I woke up things were clearer, if only a little.  I was on a bed, not a bed _roll_  like we used in the Uchiha compound, but an actual raised off the floor bed.  The air smelled like wood and the slight tang of chemicals.  I would think I was in the medic building, but the Uchiha medic building had never smelled like this.  The smell of chemicals there overpowered every other smell.

Then I noticed that both of my hands were being held.  I tried to open my eyes but they still wouldn’t work, so I tried to squeeze the hands holding mine instead.  I only marginally succeeded.

“Anija!  Her finger twitched!”  Izuna’s voice made me want to smile.  Knowing he was safe put me at ease, but why?  Why did I think he was in danger?

“No it didn’t, Izuna.  You’re imagining things.”  Madara sounded tired and sad.  Since I couldn’t actually pout at the moment, I pouted internally.  Madara needed to take better care of himself.  Wait a minute, why was he so sure I hadn’t moved?!  That ass.

“No, I’m sure her finger twitched!”  Izuna sounded like he was on my right, which meant that Madara was the one holding my left hand.

I focused all my attention on my left hand.

Two fingers twitched.

“Hn.  It seems you were right little brother.”

“Of course I was right!  I’m not an idiot!”  Izuna’s indignant reply made me want to open my eyes just to stop the squabble I knew was coming.  I inwardly sighed and tuned them out to take inventory on the rest of my body.

Everything felt like it was there, which was good.  My chest was sore.  Very sore.  Whatever that was was the reason I was in this bed wherever we were.  My chakra was sluggish but there.  I decided to do something possibly really stupid.  If I really wanted to know where I was, then what better way was there?

I pulsed my chakra.

The world around my awareness lit up.  I was in a compound, that much was obvious from the amount of chakra signatures.

I pulsed again.

Gah!  My range was so terrible!  My pulses were barely covering a mile and that was with me pushing them.  Consciously making an effort to make them.  How frustrating.

I pulsed again, harder, trying to force the range.

That was when I found three familiar signatures.  Hashirama, Tobirama, and Touka.  WHERE THE HELL WAS I?!

I pulsed again.

Tobirama and Hashirama’s signatures were together this time.  That was impossibly fast, what the hell?

I pulsed again.

Their signatures were right outside.  Was I taking longer to pulse than I thought?

“She’s conscious.”  That was Hashirama’s voice.

“What are you talking about?  No she’s not, she’s only twitched twice and that was a couple of minutes ago.  She hasn’t moved since.”  Madara’s pessimism was beginning to irritate me and I pulsed my chakra again.  Hard.  Maybe Tobirama would get the hint and tell Madara to shut up?

“Tobirama said he felt her sensory pulses.  She’s conscious, even if she hasn’t opened her eyes.”  Thank you, Hashirama.

“Forgive me for not trusting your murderous brother.  He hasn’t even come to see her, and it’s his fault she’s like this!”  Okay, that was enough of that.  I put all my willpower into moving my left hand.  Apparently anger was a good motivator.

I yanked my hand from his.

“Is that enough proof, Madara?”  Hashirama sounded slightly smug and I would have smiled if I wasn’t suddenly so damn tired.

“Tobirama!  Get in here!”  Hashirama called out and my heart picked up speed a little.

“What.”  His gruff voice soothed away my anger and I wanted to smile.

“I need you to read her pulses for me,” then he started speaking to me.  “Kaida, if you can hear me I want you to pulse your chakra once for yes and twice for no.  Can you do that for me?”

That sounded…like a lot of effort.  If it would help me tell Madara to shut up?  I’d try anything.

One pulse.

“She said yes,” Tobirama’s voice was softer now, and his chakra signature put him closer than he had been when he spoke before.  Instead of across the room he was nearly right next to the bed.

“Does anything hurt?”

One…two pulses.

“No.”

“That’s good.  Is Madara bothering you?”  He sounded like he meant it as a joke, but he had asked the perfect question.

One strong pulse.

“Ahem.  I’m going to take that one as a yes.  It was stronger than any pulse I’ve felt yet.”

“Shit.  Kaida, I’m sorry! You’ve just been asleep for so long I didn’t think you would be awake yet!”  Madara sounded sincere but I was still annoyed at him.  My chakra stayed silent.

“Did you hear him Kaida?  Are you still awake?”  Apparently I had stayed quiet enough that they thought I was asleep again.

One pulse.

Tobirama chuckled.  Oh my.  That sound sent a tingle through my body.  It was deep and rumbling.

“I believe you’re getting the silent treatment, Madara.”

One pulse.

There was that delicious sound again.  He chuckled a little louder and the sound seemed to settle in my stomach.  I wished I could open my eyes and see his face when he made that sound.

“Definitely the silent treatment.”

Izuna snickered.  “Sounds about right.”

Madara growled.  “I’m not leaving.”

I didn’t really care either way, so I stayed silent.  I just wanted him to stop being grumpy.  Or rather, grumpier than usual.

“Kaida, do you remember what happened?”  Now _that_  was a million ryo question.

Two pulses.  This was getting a little easier to manage.

Tobirama’s voice was quiet again.  “She doesn’t.”

Hashirama hummed thoughtfully.  “You were injured in our last battle.”

Me?  Injured?  That didn’t sound right at all.  Seven years of fighting the Senju and I’d never been injured.  Hell half of them didn’t even try anymore since I’d proven time and again that I wouldn’t hurt them.

Three pulses.

“I think she’s trying to ask something.”

One pulse.

“Do you want to ask how?”  Hashirama’s voice was soft.  It was as good a question as any.

One pulse.

“Yes.”

“Mm.  You intentionally stepped in front of an attack meant for your brother.  It would have been fatal if I hadn’t been there to heal you.  It very nearly was anyway.”

Oh.  Well that explained that.  Kind of.  Why hadn’t I just blocked it, the same as any other strike over the past seven years?

“You’re safe here, Kaida, but I want you to get some more rest okay?  When you wake back up we’ll see how you’re doing.”

One pulse.

It seemed they hadn’t really waited for an answer, since Tobirama was nearly to what was probably the door.  So apparently I had no choice in the resting thing.  Not that I would have argued, what with moving my hand so suddenly and all the chakra pulses and the emotions I was pretty exhausted already.

I slid into sleep just as Izuna took my hand again.

As I slept I saw flashes of a battle.  Touka smiling as she swung at me, Izuna fighting Tobirama, seeing the look in Tobirama’s eyes when he looked at Izuna before the battle began.

This time I woke slowly.  I tried to squeeze the hand holding mine and succeeded.  Izuna bolted upright.  “Anija she’s awake!  She squeezed my hand!”

Madara grunted and I had the distinct urge to roll my eyes.  Still moody, apparently.  I forced a sound out of my throat.  It was supposed to be a growl, but came out as more of a squeak.  Well that was humiliating.

“Here, Aneki.  Hashirama said when you woke up again you would probably be able to drink something.”  He put what I assumed was a cup to my lips and I forced them to part.  Then he tilted it and there was relief.  Cool water coated my mouth and I swallowed.  The feeling of the water flowing down my dry throat was bliss.

I pulsed my chakra happily without thinking.  When Izuna took the water I tried again to open my eyes.  I managed to crack them open, only to immediately squeeze them shut.  Holy hell why was it so bright in here?  It was like the sun!

Hashirama swept in.

“She’s awake?”

“Yeah just now, how’d you know?”  Izuna’s voice sounded like he had backed away.

I pulsed my chakra to take inventory of the room.  Izuna had indeed backed away, but it was to make room for Hashirama.  Tobirama was there too, though much farther away.

“Tobirama felt a chakra pulse.”

“Oh.”

I made a cross between a groan and another squeak come out of my throat.

“What’s wrong with her?”  Madara’s voice was concerned.

“Kaida, can you open your eyes?”

One pulse.  I didn’t care if he hadn’t told me to do it.  Tobirama was right there and apparently talking was out of the question for the moment.  I _could_  open my eyes, I just didn't want to until someone turned off the sun.

“She pulsed her chakra for yes.”  Tobirama sounded a little confused.

“Will you open them for me so you can get a look at your surroundings?  Maybe see your brothers?”  Hashirama sounded a little worried.

Two pulses.  Someone was going to turn off the lights before I even thought about opening my eyes again.

Tobirama was closer now.  “No.”

“Do you not want to see your brothers?”

Two hard pulses and I made my chakra stay flared.  I just wanted the lights off.

“I don’t think that’s it, Anija.”

Suddenly there was a rustling and Hashirama let out a cry.

“Madara what’s the big idea?”

“You idiot we need those on!”  Tobirama growled.  What?

Then Madara spoke to me and I could not have been more grateful to be a twin than I was in that moment.

“The lights are off my twin, it’s safe.”

I slowly opened my eyes and was met with Madara’s triple tomoe Sharingan.  I pulsed my chakra once.

“That was apparently the issue,” Tobirama murmured.

Madara grunted before letting his Sharingan deactivate and turning to face the younger Senju.

“My twin has always preferred nighttime and darkness.  After her eyes being closed for so long I figured the lights in this room would be like looking into the sun for her.”

I pulsed my chakra.  Thank gods for twin intuition.

“She agreed with you.”

I moved my head slowly to look at Tobirama.  He looked…well honestly he looked like shit.  He didn’t look like he’d had a good night of sleep in a while.  Then his gaze met mine and the air left my lungs.

Everything came rushing back.  The fight with Touka.  Knowing what Tobirama was going to do.  Deciding to take the blow instead of blocking it.  Everything.

I tried to reach for him and he took a step back.

Two pulses.

I tried again and he took another step.  I let out the most pitiful whine I could manage.  I wasn’t above using my inability to make proper sounds to get sympathy.

Madara rolled his eyes and grabbed Tobirama to drag him to me.

Apparently my whine had disarmed him though because he didn’t fight it at all.  Once he was beside my bed I pointed to him, then to my soul words.

“Yes, I know.  You’ve already said mine.”  I rolled my eyes and pointed again.  I knew that.  I remembered it.  I wanted to see them though.  To remind him that I forgave him.

“I think she wants to see them.”  Once again I was thanking the gods for having a twin.

One pulse.

He sighed and pulled the edge of his shirt up so I could see the words written on his ribcage in my delicate handwriting.

My lips twitched.

I touched the words and pulsed my chakra once.  He reached down and placed his hand over the words on my forearm, keeping my hand in place at the same time.

I pulsed my chakra again.

“Get a room!”  Izuna cried and I shifted my gaze to glare at him.

Hashirama chuckled.  “Technically for now this _is_  her room.”

One pulse.

“She agreed.”  I could feel Tobirama’s voice like tingles through my arm.

Madara sighed.  “Let’s give her a minute with him.  She’s had almost eight years of not being able to talk to her soulmate.”

I pulsed my chakra once as Madara herded Hashirama and Izuna out, not even realizing the time discrepancy in his words.

Tobirama finally took a seat next to the bed.  I couldn’t touch his words anymore, but his hand stayed over the words on my forearm and his other hand took mine.

“I assume you were trying to remind me that you forgive me?”

I nodded.

“I don’t deserve your forgiveness.”

I narrowed my eyes slightly and gave two sharp pulses.  Then I pointed back to his words and pulsed again with a nod.

He sighed.

“You’re going to be a handful, I can see it now.  Too stubborn for your own good.”

That time I did manage to smile and I pulsed my chakra once.

His responding smirk stopped my heart, he really was too beautiful.

“I hope you won’t regret this.”

Oh I wouldn’t.  I was very, very sure I wouldn’t regret it for a moment.


	9. Bright Mornings and Sad Stories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Progress is made!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM SO SORRY IT'S TAKEN SO LONG TO WRITE THIS CHAPTER!
> 
> I started, completely scrapped, and then restarted this chapter four times to bring you the chapter you see before you, went for weeks without touching my laptop because I was so disgusted with whatever version of the chapter I was on, then last night apparently inspiration hit. I cranked this bad boy out in just over 3 hours and for once I didn't hate it at any point during writing it! It's slightly longer than my other chapters, sitting at just under a 3k word count, but I felt like you all deserved a longer word count than my normal 1700-2700 since you waited for 2 months for me to update. I'll sit down to work on a Senju Destinies equivalent tonight. :)
> 
> Also: I'm not a doctor, nor do I have any experience in medicine, and I'm definitely not a ninja doctor. Therefore, any inaccuracies are either the fault of google doing me dirty or "Ninja bullshit". :D

When I woke the next morning my brothers were noticeably absent.  I scowled at the ceiling of my room in the Senju medical building and thought about the day before.  Tobirama had stayed with me for most of the day, telling me what all had happened while I had been asleep.

A minimally conscious state*, he said.  Not quite a coma, but a lot more significant than normal unconsciousness.  Five months was a long time to go without solid food and without working ones muscles.  My voice wasn’t the only thing suffering from disuse, just moving to pick up a glass of water was exhausting, and my chakra pulses barely covered a mile radius and that was with me trying to push the range.  Those facts combined with the prospect of having to re-teach my chakra system to send the pulses out subconsciously only served to irritate me all the more.

It was probably a good thing my brothers were absent this morning, Madara’s pessimism and Izuna’s mothering would have only fanned the flames of an already bad mood.  They may have gone five months without me, but I’d had no sense of time in the minimally conscious state I’d fallen into after Hashirama had managed to stabilize me.  To me it had been a matter of days at most.

It was sobering to think about the fact that Tobirama’s blow had successfully killed me.  Twice, if we were being technical, before his brother had managed to heal enough of the damage that I wasn’t actively dying anymore.  Sure, I had been fully prepared to -and, if I was to be honest, fully expecting to- die when I took that blow.

The gravity of the knowledge that I had come that close to being permanently dead though?  It was…more to take in than I would have assumed it might be If I had thought I was going to survive.

I struggled to sit upright and scooted to prop myself up in a sitting position.  I was panting by the time I came to a rest and I let out a halfway normal sounding groan at how weak I had gotten.  The more I had use my pitiful half-voice to make noise the day before over the course of Tobirama talking to me, the closer I got to being able to speak properly again.  I glanced at the window and noted it was before sunrise.

Plenty of time to try to get my voice back to halfway working order before catching the attention of Tobirama to inform the Senju I was awake.  I spent the next hour doing exactly that, with a glass of water in hand to soothe my throat when it got too scratchy.

By the time the sun rose I sounded…well, not quite normal, but less like a pathetic abandoned house cat and more like a human.  Albeit a tired, injured human.  I decided that was about as good as it was going to get for now, the rest would come with time, and I took to pulsing my chakra.

Small at first, maybe 500 yards, but with each pulse I pushed the range.  I found Touka first, her chakra flaring intermittently, so she was probably in a training ground.  Ahh, training.  I couldn’t wait to get my strength back.  I was going to bargain, bribe. or blackmail Touka into training with me the first opportunity I had.

Continuing my pulses I found Hashirama next, his chakra still so bright and warm after all these years.  It was a steady glow that gave me no indication as to what he was doing, so I continued outward.  I was reaching about a mile away and beginning to grow tired from using my chakra -and growing annoyed at how little it took to tire me out- when my pulse brushed over a chakra I had grown to look forward to sensing over the years; cool water flowed against my sensory pulse like a little babbling brook and I smiled.

I kept my next pulse at the same distance, not really caring what might be beyond where he was at the moment, but it put him with Hashirama instead of wherever he had been a moment before.  I snickered to myself, I would figure out a way to coerce the Senju genius into teaching me that __fantastic__  jutsu if it was the last thing I did.

My next pulse put them both outside my room and I grinned as Hashirama breezed through the door. 

“Good morning, Kaida!”  Hashirama beamed back at me and my grin melted into a smirk.

“You know, Tobirama doesn’t have to stay outside.  He’s always welcome so long as I have a say.”  My voice was still raspy and a little unstable, but Hashirama’s eyes widened and he gasped.

“Your voice!  I didn’t expect you to be talking yet!”  I chuckled lightly as Tobirama stepped into the room.  I glanced over at him and caught a tiny twist to his lips that could almost be taken as an uncertain smile.  I grinned at him and held my hand out for him.

As he walked across the room to take my offered hand I looked back at his brother.

“That’s what you get when I wake up an hour and a half before dawn in a bad mood and with nothing to occupy my time.  I get shit done.”  I coughed on the last word and reached for my water, only to remember I had finished the last of the glass while I had been working to get my voice back.  It was the reason I had moved on to my chakra pulses as soon as I had.

I pouted at the empty glass and Hashirama chuckled as he reached for it.

“I’ve obviously still got a ways to go, but I can communicate like a normal human again so that counts for something.”

Hashirama nodded thoughtfully as he filled my glass and brought it back to me, “Yes, it certainly does.”

“Why were you in a bad mood?”  Tobirama questioned me suddenly and I took a drink of water to cover my scowl.  As I swallowed I looked up at him with a pout.

“I was thinking about how weak I am from being in bed for five months and how much work I’m going to have to do to get back to where I was before.  It takes a force of will just to send my chakra pulses the mile between this room and wherever it is that you spend all your time.”

He smirked at me, “You mean for once in our lives my sensing is better than yours?”

I growled at that thought.

“Don’t get used to it, _Tobi_.”  My snark and growl lost its heat though, because of the small smile that had found its way to my face.

He scowled at his new nickname and I made a mental note to only call him Tobi when I wanted to pester him.  I took another drink of water and turned to pin Hashirama with a stare.

“So, Lord Senju, when can I get up and start training?”

Hashirama blinked at my sudden intensity.

“Well, your chest has healed up completely in the five months that you’ve been here.  So long as you start out slow you should be fine with working to get your strength back now.  Start out by getting back to the point that you can walk entirely without assistance for as long as possible.”  I started to intake breath to tell Tobirama that I wanted him to help me walk to where I could still feel Touka when Hashirama cut me off.

“But, and I cannot stress this enough:  do.  Not.  Push yourself.  If you start to get tired, take a break.  Our village will not be built in a day, neither will your recovery.  We are not at war, you should be in no rush.”

I grumbled unhappily at him but finally agreed, if only to stop the pleading expression he was beginning to wear from fully taking form.  I turned to Tobirama.

“I want to go see Touka.  Will you help me get there?  She’s not far.”

He looked to his brother with uncertainty in his eyes but I tugged on his hand to pull his attention back to me.

“I’ve been in this room for five months and while I may have only been awake for three days of it, I’m already sick of this place.”

Hashirama sighed, “I have a feeling if someone doesn’t go with her she’ll just try to go by herself, and while I doubt she would get lost or be attacked by any of our clan members it would probably ease her brother’s minds to know she was not alone on her first trek into the compound.”

“He’s not wrong,” I added helpfully.  Tobirama frowned at me, “About which part?”

“Take your pick,” I gave him a cheeky smile and he sighed, mumbled something about a handful, and then nodded.

“Fine, I’m sure Touka will be happy to see you anyway.”  His acquiescent grumble melted my heart and I squeezed his hand lightly before shuffling my legs over the side of the bed.

“Did my brothers happen to bring any other clothes for me?  And oh my dear sweet Kami I need a shower.  Crapbaskets.  Um, okay shower first, Touka second.  I will _not_  go into the Senju compound at _Senju Tobirama’s side_  looking and smelling like this.”

Tobirama and Hashirama shared a look before Hashirama broke into laughter.

“Yes Kaida, your clothes are right over here and there’s a shower through that door to your left.”  He started making his way to the door as he spoke and I wondered why until he called back right before he walked out the door, “Tobirama will be right out here if you need anything!”

The door shut behind him and I looked at Tobirama who had an adorable pink tint to his cheeks.

“I’ll be fine, Tobi.  I’ll sit on the shower floor so I won’t get too tired or risk falling.  You won’t have to help me with anything beyond walking in there.”  I smiled at him as he studied the floor.

I just barely caught him grumble “Don’t call me that” under his breath before he sighed and raised his face to lock eyes with me.

“Don’t be stubborn.  If you need help, you need help.  Call for me.”  He reached out to take my arm and supported me as I made my way to the bathroom.  He leaned me against a wall so he could turn and start the shower and I slowly slid down to the floor, my legs infuriatingly weak.

“I’m not too picky about the temperature, so long as its warm.”  He turned to look at me and eyed me worriedly when he saw me on the floor trying not to gasp for breath.  I waved off his concern.

“If being out of breath is enough to stop me I’ll be bed-bound for the rest of my life, Tobirama.  That wound didn’t end my life; I’ll be damned if it ends my freedom.”

He turned away to hide a grimace at the reminder of my injury, but I caught it anyway and frowned.  It seemed it would take more than my reminder of forgiveness yesterday to ease his guilt.

“Tobirama.”

He hummed a response but didn't look at me and I scowled.

“Tobirama, come here.”

 He turned and I reached up to let him help me stand.  Once I was standing I gripped his chin with my hand and made him look at me.  I was marginally shorter than my twin, which put me only a couple inches shorter than Tobirama.

“I am here, I am alive, and most importantly; I forgive you, Senju Tobirama.  Don’t ever forget that.”  I brushed the fingers of my free hand across his shirt where his soul words were hidden and I moved the hand gripping his chin to cup his cheek instead.

“When my father ordered me to protect my brothers that day after we met at the Naka, I knew he gave that order in the hope that I would die.  I also knew that he would most likely get that outcome someday.  Yet, even at ten years old, even without knowing who would eventually give him the outcome he desired or when it would happen, I forgave whoever that person would be.

“To know that it was _you_  who nearly killed me doesn’t make my decision that day any less valid, nor does it make me regret forgiving you.  In fact, if I have to I will spend every day for the rest of my blessed life reminding you that I forgive you.”

His hand raised to mine and pressed it to his face.

“I don’t know how you can call this a blessed life, having a soulmate who nearly ended it.  Spending seven and a half years knowing who I was to you and thinking I would reject you for being an Uchiha, only to have me drive a sword through you in an attempt to kill your little brother.”  His voice was bitter and he continued softly, “Forgiving me for killing you is one thing, but I tried to kill Izuna.  How could you forgive that?”

I looked down to find the right words.

“Did you know that Madara and I were not the only twins born to the Uchiha Clan head?”  I started softly, still staring at the floor with one hand on Tobirama’s soul words and the other trapped against his face by his hand.

I looked up to find his red irises staring into my onyx ones and I offered a sad smile.

“Twin boys.  A year younger than Izuna.  Though they were identical, not fraternal.”  My eyes started to water at the memory of Madara and Izuna coming home from battle with two bodies covered in white instead of two smiling faces.  I blinked the tears back and continued with my story, though Tobirama slipped an arm around my waist to lower us to the floor so I wouldn't tire of standing before I had a chance to shower.

“It was two and a half months before the Naka River.  Madara and Izuna took them out to battle.  Their third.  They had caused a few injuries, but hadn’t actually killed anyone yet.”  I cleared my throat and closed my eyes to collect my thoughts.

“I was waiting for them to come home, excited to see them.  Their smiles were the light of my world and I dreaded the day the innocent happiness faded from them after they made their first kill.”  I clenched my fist in Tobirama’s shirt and forced myself to continue.

“I felt Madara and Izuna’s chakra near the gates and went to meet them, only instead of the smiling faces of my baby brothers, or the unsettling mask we Uchiha are famous for…I was met with two bodies covered in white.”

Tears slipped through my lashes and down my cheeks without my permission and Tobirama’s hand tightened on mine in an attempt to comfort me.

I took a deep breath through my nose and opened my eyes to meet Tobirama’s once again.

“Yet as much as their deaths pain me, I do not hold them against your clan.  Much like Hashirama does not hold the deaths of your little brothers against the Uchiha.  Which, by the way, I am very sorry I wasn’t there to try to prevent.”

He shook his head with a sad half-laugh and squeezed my hand again.

“You just told me something so painful, and yet you immediately offer apologies for _my_  loss and voice regret about not being able to prevent it?  You are a mystery, Uchiha Kaida.”

I laughed softly, “Oh yeah, you finally know my name.  I guess you can finally stop calling me ‘Uchiha Girl’.”

He gave me a dry look and I laughed a little louder.  “Oh, come on Tobi, it’s not like we _tried_  to keep you from learning my name.  You just only ever bothered to ask _me_ , and I sure wasn’t going to have my first words to my soulmate be _my name_.”

He huffed and pulled me upright.

“Come on, Uchiha Girl.”  I pouted and he continued like he didn’t notice, though from his playful smirk he definitely did, “ Shower before you lose the hot water.  Call for me if you need help.”  I nodded and he started to close the door to the bathroom, leaving me alone in the steam, but I spoke again before the door could close completely.

"It's a blessed life because you  _didn't_ end it.  I'm still alive and you haven't rejected me for my clan name.  That's all I will ever ask for and it is a blessing."   My voice was soft and had the door not paused for a moment while I spoke I would have thought he didn't hear it.  Then the door was closed and I was left to my thoughts.

I peeled my clothes off and stepped carefully into the spray, gathering soap and shampoo and bringing them down to the floor with me so I could shower without having to stand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N about the little brothers: I /think/ at some point I mentioned they were twins, but I couldn't find it anywhere. So If I /did/ mention they were, fantastic. If I didn't mention their ages at all, also fantastic: they were twins. If, however, I'm wrong and I mentioned they were different ages...well...whoops? Tell me which chapter/story you found it in so I can compare notes with myself and fix it! :)
> 
> *According to nhs.uk under "Coma" a "a minimally conscious state" is "where a person has limited awareness that comes and goes"


	10. Little Talks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaida has a small heart-to-heart with Tobi and goes on her first trip outside the medical building she woke up in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aight, first off: I AM SOOOOOO SORRY THIS HAS TAKEN SO LONG. I can't apologize enough to those of you who have been waiting for an update.
> 
> You'll be happy to know, though, that I already know exactly how chapter 11 is going to go and I'm going to start on it as soon as this chapter is done posting.

I turned the hot water off with a sigh and reached out to grab a towel.  Once I wrapped the towel around me I stepped out and immediately realized I had forgotten my bag of clothes.

“Hey, Tobirama?”  I called nervously, “I, uh, forgot my clothes out there.”  Almost before I could finish speaking the door opened a crack and his arm appeared through it with my bag.

“Thank you,” I whispered as I took the bag from him.  When the door closed I leaned against the wall and slid down to the floor.  I already felt a little stronger.  I figured it was probably a placebo effect from the shower, but I didn’t want to push myself before the walk to the training ground.  A quick pulse of my chakra confirmed Touka was still there and I grinned as I dug through my clothes.

I slipped into a loose black shirt with the Uchiha crest on the back and leaned against the wall to tug on my pants.  Once they were secured around my waist I braced myself against the wall as I stood to get a look in the mirror.

My hair had gotten longer in the five months since I had last looked in the mirror but, thanks to what I assumed was Hashirama’s medical jutsus, I hadn’t lost any weight.  I let out a relieved sigh before looking to my hair brush.  That wouldn’t be much fun, it was enough of a workout to brush my hair when it was five inches shorter and I was at full strength.

I turned from the mirror with a pout and opened the door to walk back into what I assumed would be my room for the foreseeable future.

“What’s the matter?”  Tobirama’s voice sounded from my right and I looked to see him sitting in one of the chairs next to the bed.  He was leaned forward with his forearms resting on his knees, his normal face plate was missing and his red eyes burned into mine.  My breath caught in my throat and I felt a slow smile make it’s way across my face.

“Nothing, Tobirama.  I was just thinking about how much of a pain it’s going to be to brush my hair.”  He tilted his head to the side slightly like he wasn’t sure what I meant and my smile grew as I took in the sight.  “It was hard enough to brush it before, now it’s longer and I’m weaker,” I clarified.

“Ah,” he nodded and looked like he was thinking carefully about what to say next.  I made my way over to the bed, staying quiet as he thought.

“I could…” He started, and I looked up from the floor to see him looking anywhere but at me.  “I could brush it for you…if you needed help, I mean.”  His words were slow and uncertain, so I reached a hand out to touch his shoulder.

“You don’t have to if you don’t feel comfortable, but I would very much appreciate the help,” I told him with a smile.  He nodded, a look of determination crossing his features and I handed him my hairbrush before turning around to give him access to my hair.

“You know, you’re probably the only person outside of my clan who would dare turn their back to me,” he said softly.  My lips twitched as I felt him start working the brush through the ends of my hair.  He was surprisingly gentle and I barely felt it as he worked through the tangles.

“Part of that has to do with the fact that, not taking into account the last five months, I’ve been able to beat you since I was ten,” I turned my head enough to shoot him a grin and he scowled at me before putting a finger to my chin and pushing me to look forward again.  I cleared my throat.

“Most of it though, is the simple fact that I’m your soulmate.  Now that you know it, I doubt you’ll harm me.”

He paused for a moment in his careful brushing before he continued, speaking slowly.  “Doubt?  You’re not sure?”  My eyes dropped to the side, though he couldn’t see my face.

“Mm.  You’re Senju Tobirama and I’m the Uchiha princess; I doubt I’m anything like what you hoped for when you imagined your soulmate.  Unless you’re a very good actor, I can tell how torn up you’ve been over this whole ordeal.  I could tell from the second I saw you after I opened my eyes that you hadn’t been sleeping well and while I know that it’s because I almost died…”  I swallowed before my voice continued, so soft I could barely hear it.

“There’s a part of me that whispers that the reason you’ve been upset is because I’m an Uchiha, not because you almost lost me.”

He stayed quiet as he finished brushing my hair.  When I felt the bed move as he stood I turned my head to inspect the wall so I wouldn’t have to meet his gaze.  The bed dipped again, this time in front of me and I felt his fingers gently pull my face around to look at him.

“Your brother told me why you were crying when I saw you at the Naka river before that last battle.  He said that you thought I hated you because of your clan.”

My eyes narrowed, “Remind me to teach my twin that it’s not his business to tell people how I feel.”  He smirked at me before getting serious again.

“Well, if Madara didn’t lie to me about that then I need to clarify my feelings on the matter.”  I tilted my head slightly and he continued.

“There is little in this world that would keep me from your side if you desired me to be there, least of all your clan name.”  The pad of his thumb grazed my cheek and his other hand took one of mine to hold it palm down against his racing heart.  I smiled softly at him.

“Well, that’s a good thing Tobirama, because I have a feeling that your clan head is planning a wedding.”

He smirked and let his hand fall away from my face, though he kept his other hand over mine above his heart for a moment longer.  “I wouldn’t put it past him, though your clan head is probably planning with him.”

He stood and offered me his hand, “Let’s go visit my cousin.”

I placed my palm into his with a smile and he pulled me upright, keeping my hand clasped in his.

As we made our way slowly from the medical building to the training ground Touka was at Tobirama used the time to ask me question after question.  He asked what my favorite weapon was, if I knew any jutsu since he’d never seen me use any, what my favorite one was, my favorite food, even my favorite flower.

I answered every question with a smile, nodding a greeting to the few Senju who passed us.  They gave me various looks ranging from shock to wariness, but none of them seemed to hate me.

As we came up on the training ground I heard a gasp, then suddenly Touka was standing in front of me, grinning like a maniac.

“Little Witch!  You’re awake!”  She sent a glare toward her cousin before turning her attention back to me, “No one told me or I would have come to see you.  Should you be out of bed?”

I laughed, “Hashirama cleared me to walk out here to see you, so long as I had an escort.  Not that I would have listened if he’d told me no.  You’ve fought me for years so you know exactly how stubborn I can be.”

Touka laughed with me as she and Tobirama led me to a bench, noticing that I was out of breath.  “That’s true, Little Witch.  Speaking of stubborn…”  She glanced over to Tobirama and had a silent conversation that reminded me of the ones I had with Madara or Izuna.  My lips twitched at the thought just as Touka turned to me, taking a breath.  It appeared she had won their discussion.

“Your little brother is quite a handful.”

My eyes narrowed.  “Has he caused you or any of your clan trouble while I’ve been here?  I can assure you once I’m a little stronger I can make him regret it.”

Touka huffed a laugh and shook her head, “Actually, I’m thankful for the trouble he got into when you first arrived.”  I raised an eyebrow, no one was ever thankful for Izuna getting into trouble.

For all Madara’s brooding or my snark and sarcasm, Izuna matched us both with his mischievousness.

Touka saw my scepticism and smiled, “Had he not gotten into trouble I would have had trouble finding a reason to speak to him.”

“No,” I breathed with a grin coming to my face.  “No way!”  She nodded and I started laughing.

“Do you know how much shit Madara and I have given Izuna for his words over the years?  You actually called him a little brat?”  When she nodded again I doubled over, wheezing with laughter.  “Father must be rolling in his grave!”

I sat up slowly getting my breathing back under control, “Oh, this is too good.”  I flashed a bright smile to the two Senju sitting with me.

“Father hated your clan with a burning passion.  Knowing that not one, but two of his own children were mated to Senju souls?  That’s the kind of thing I never could have hoped for.  When it was just me I was terrified of him finding out after the day at the Naka when Tobirama called out to me.  I would have been killed for sure.”  I squeezed Tobirama's hand lightly when I saw him grimace, and Touka paled slightly.

“How did he not recognize what Tobes said?”  Touka sounded genuinely curious.  I tilted my head back to look toward the sky, “I’ve been covering my words since I was four.  Since I was old enough to know what they meant and how to wrap my arm.  No one but Madara had seen them since I started covering them, and since Father had already all but disowned me by the time Tobi spoke to me he seemed to have just disregarded my words as not worth remembering.”

I looked back to them with a sad smile, “Which, trust me, is a very good thing.”

“Why did he…” Tobirama’s curious whisper trailed off, like he was uncertain how or what he wanted to ask.

“Hate me?”  When Touka and Tobirama both nodded I sighed.  “That is a very long story.  It has to do with my ideals.  I promise, I will answer your questions -all of them- in time.  You both deserve to know more about me.  As my only friend and my soulmate you two have been just as important in my life over the past eight years as my brothers, so you should know me as well as they do.”  Touka seemed to accept that answer, but before the subject could be completely forgotten I voiced a request.

“I do have to ask though, that you don’t bring this up to Izuna.  It’s a sore subject for my brothers.  I’ll tell you the story some day, I swear to you, but until then just…please don’t bring it up?”  When she nodded I grinned.

“Good, now let me live vicariously through you.  Hashirama won’t let me train until I can walk without worry of tiring.  Let me watch you for a while?”

Touka smirked, “Only if you promise that once you’re cleared to train you join me.”

I threw my head back with a laugh, “Oh, Senju.  You think I wasn’t planning on making you train with me whether you wanted to or not?  That’s cute,” I sent her a playful smirk and Tobirama shook his head.

“I think the clan will come to regret you two being able to converse outside of a battlefield.”  The humor in his voice made me smile.

“Not just the Senju,” I quipped at the same time Touka popped off with, “Most definitely.”  We shared a look before breaking into laughter again.

Touka picked up her training where she left off and Tobirama and I watched her for a few moments before Tobirama turned to me.

“Would you like to watch me spar with her?”

I turned to him with wide eyes and a hesitant grin, “You’d do that?”  When he nodded I looked down at our still joined hands.

“Would…” My voice was small and unsure, but I had to ask anyway, “Would you mind very much if I…watched with my Sharingan?”  I winced when I felt him tense and rushed to explain myself.

“It’s just, I’ve always admired the way you fight.  It’s beautiful.  You have to have noticed that I never use my Sharingan for battle or hurting people.  I’ve always hated that the only thing the Sharingan is associated with is death, so when I unlocked mine I promised myself I would never use it for violence.”  I raised my head to make eye contact with him.

“I refuse to be the monster that everyone sees when they look at an Uchiha using their Sharingan.  Instead of using my Sharingan to cast or break genjutsu or process an opponents moves faster, I only ever use it to remember things I find beautiful or important to me.”  I smiled, “I’ve lost count of how many scenes of the moon I have stored away with my Sharingan.”

“I think you’ve more than proven over the years that you won’t do anything to hurt us.  I don’t have a problem with it, but I can’t speak for Touka.”  I nodded, still smiling.

“Then don’t worry about it.  I’m sure I’ll have plenty of opportunities to watch you spar.”

He showed me a small smile before standing and squaring his shoulders.  He walked onto the training field with all the confidence he showed when facing Izuna on a battlefield.  He was absolutely breathtaking.

“Touka.”  Even his voice commanded attention and Touka stopped what she was doing, turning to him with a raised eyebrow.  As soon as she saw his face she broke into a grin.

“What, can’t resist showing off for your girl?”  She teased him, falling into a familiar stance.  He vanished for a moment, re-appearing with sword in hand.  Taking in the details I realized it wasn’t the same sword he had used since we were children.

A soft smile came to my lips as he and Touka charged at the same time.  She met every sword stroke from him with a strong block of her staff.  He swung from the left, she pulled her staff around to meet his sword just in time.

He had her on the defensive almost immediately and I was still smiling as Tobirama sheathed his sword suddenly and flashed through hand signs.  Suddenly there was a water dragon from out of nowhere, heading straight for Touka.  I gasped, my hand coming up to press against my lips as I looked on with worry.

Touka strung together hand signs of her own and the water dragon crashed into an earthen wall.  The fight went on like that for a while longer, Tobirama pushing against Touka’s defense while she looked for an opening to counter attack.  I laughed softly as Touka taunted Tobirama every now and then, only to be met with another attack.

Finally, Tobirama ducked under one of Touka’s swings and came up holding his sword to her throat.

“I think that decides it, dear Cousin.”  I could hear the smirk in his voice and Touka’s defeated sigh.

“Show-off.”

I clapped from my place on the bench, “That was fantastic, I’m so glad you let me watch!”  Tobirama turned to look at me and his eyes softened.

He walked back over and offered me his hand, “I think that’s enough for today, Kaida.  Let’s get you back to the medical building so you can rest.  I can tell you’re getting tired.”

As I slipped my fingers into his grasp Touka came up behind him.

“I’m so glad you’re awake and that you came to see me.”

I smiled at her as Tobirama pulled me to my feet, “Well of course I came to see you, that room is already driving me insane and I missed you.”  She chuckled before reaching a hand out to me, expecting me to shake her hand for the first time since we met.  I looked from her hand, back to her before smirking and clasping my hand around hers.

Only to yank her forward and wrap my arms around her torso.

“Hand shakes are for deals.  You get a hug, or nothing.”

“So trusting,” I heard her mutter as I felt her arms slowly tighten around me.

I smirked, “Why wouldn’t I trust you?  You’re my friend and my little brother’s soulmate.”  I let her go and pulled away, “I’ll see you later, okay?”  She nodded and Tobirama put his hand on my lower back to support me as he led me back toward the medical building.

I could hear the bed calling my name.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realize It's a terrible excuse, but the reason these last couple chapters have taken me so long to write is because I had literally no plan as to how I was going to bring myself to the fluffy ending. An angst ending? I could have written it ages ago but you guys deserve happy stuff and good feels, not the soul tearing misery that is the alternate ending.
> 
> That being said; while I was writing a part of this chapter I was hit with inspiration for the ending and for the first time in this story (aside from chapter 7) I know what the next chapter is going to be before I even start writing it.


	11. My Story

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our story draws to a close with an ending I hope you all enjoy.

As the months went by I started getting my strength back.  Madara, Izuna, Touka, Tobirama, and even Hashirama all helped me build my stamina back up and before I knew it I was training again.  I had re-trained my body to sensory pulse subconsciously, and I had gotten my range pushed back out.

I still wasn’t back to where I was before I threw myself in front of Tobirama’s sword, but I was close; and close was better than where I had been upon waking up.  Touka and Izuna helped me get the strength back in my muscles so I could fight again, and Madara and Hashirama were there to talk to when I started to get frustrated with my progress.

Tobirama was there every day.  When I wasn’t training with Izuna or Touka, he was helping me with chakra control or teaching me new jutsu.  He showed up with my favorite flowers when he knew I was getting overwhelmed, and brought me my favorite food after training sometimes.

After Hashirama cleared me to start training, he talked to my brother about moving me out of the medical building.  Madara grumbled about me coming back to the Uchiha compound but stopped when I gave him the Twin Stare.

_“Come back to the compound?  Tell me dear brother, how have the elders taken the news of my soulmate?”_

_Madara winced and looked away, his silence was answer enough._

_“Exactly, my twin.  If I went back to the Uchiha compound they wouldn’t let me step foot outside it again.”_

_Madara scoffed, “You mean they would try.  How often have you done anything the Elders tried to make you do?”_

_I shugged, “Fair point.  Still I would rather not have to sneak around.  Once the village is built and they can’t isolate me from him anymore I’ll come back.”_

After that, it was decided I would be moved to a small building near Tobirama’s lab.  The Senju elders were less than pleased with the prospect of my staying, but Tobirama and Hashirama both told me not to worry about them.  The one time they had said something negative about me in my presence both brothers responded with a Killing Intent that had even me shrinking back.

Along with the progress made in regards to my strength, progress was made regarding peace as well.  Terms of peace were finally settled upon, a marriage between Tobirama and I being left out of the negotiations.  Our brothers both decided it would be our choice where to go in regards to our relationship.

Months turned into years and slowly but surely the village my brother and his best friend dreamed about as children had come to be a reality.  I was on one of the public training grounds, sparring Touka and Izuna, while some children from the clans we had brought into the village watched on.

“Wow!  Do you see how fast Lord Izuna and Lady Touka are?”  I heard one girl exclaim, she looked to be a part of the civilian Haruno clan.

“Tch.  Maybe, but watch Lady Kaida closely.  She’s just as fast, and she’s taking on two opponents at once but she’s only making the necessary moves to block their attacks.  Neither her or her opponents have been hurt yet.”  A boy who looked to be a Nara commented in a bored tone.

“Maybe that’s just because she isn’t strong enough to land a hit?”  Another civilian child put in.  I dropped to my knees and leaned backwards to duck under a sword swing from Izuna.  I felt the air move above my neck as I tilted my head back.

“That was a little close, don’t you think little brother?”

“Just shows you should be paying more attention!”  He chirped with a smile.

“Look closer,” the Nara boy’s bored tone drawled.  “It has nothing to do with strength.  She’s using the exact amount of force needed to negate their attacks completely without causing them harm.  Every block or dodge she makes is a careful calculation, and that’s all without using the Sharingan.  If she used the Sharingan she would be unstoppable.”

“Well look at that,” I heard Izuna chuckle as I blocked a strike from his sword and Touka’s staff at the same time, “That Nara kid figured out in five minutes what our whole clan is _still_  too blind to see.”

“Yeah well, the Nara clan actually think instead of blindly passing judgement,” I quipped with a smile.  I jumped back and sheathed my daggers to use the transformation jutsu to turn into a cat.  Thanks to Tobirama’s help, I had finally gotten my chakra control to a point where I was able to use a transformation and still have my sensory pulses.

I heard some of the kids gasp and I laughed, “Come on, Touka!  Little brother!  Just because I’m a cat doesn’t mean you can’t attack!  See if you can land a hit for once!”  They shared a look before charging me again.

Touka swung down with her staff just as Izuna swiped in from the left with his blade.  I twisted my little feline body out of the way and jumped to land on Izuna’s shoulder.

“Is that all you’ve got, Senju?  I thought you and my brother would at least make it difficult for me.”

I saw Touka’s eye twitch as she jabbed her staff toward me, Izuna trusting her not to hit him by mistake.

“Shut up, you little witch!  I’ve been trying to land a genjutsu on you for years and now thanks to my cousin you can use a transformation and still not be caught.  How is this at all fair?!”  I laughed and used her staff to vault into the air, twisting and releasing the transformation to string hand signs together.

Being Senju Tobirama’s soulmate definitely had it’s perks.  One of them was that he would teach me any of his jutsu I wanted to know.  The water from the nearby river rose up in a tidal wave and crashed towards my brother and my best friend.

I landed on a tree branch and watched on with mild interest as the water receded back into the river to reveal a mud dome.  It fell and Izuna walked out, glaring at my tree.

“Really, Aneki?  Water?”

I jumped down with a grin, “Well if I’d used wind you would’ve just used it to make your Grand Fireball that much bigger.”

Touka stepped up beside Izuna with a smirk, “Damn straight he would have.”

I walked up to the two and threw my arms around their shoulders, “Come on.  Hashirama invited me to dinner tonight and now I have to take a shower beforehand thanks to you two and your obsession with trying to land a hit on me.”

I waved to the kids who had been watching, the civilians with looks of awe and the Nara with a faint smirk, and turned to walk away.  As I walked I let go of my little brother and my best friend.

“Touka and I need to shower before heading over there too, thanks to your justu,”  Izuna said with a pout.  I blinked for a moment then turned my face toward him.

“I wasn’t aware he invited you and Touka, I thought it was just me.  I was actually kind of wondering why he had only invited me, normally he at least includes Mads too.”

Izuna hummed right as Touka spoke, “Oh, he invited us all.  You, Tobes, Izu, me, Madara, and Shikani.”

I coughed suddenly, “Shit, I hadn’t realized it would be all of us.  What’s the occasion?”  Izuna looked at me like I’d grown a second head.

“Aneki, you don’t realize what today is?”

“Uh,” I racked my brain for an answer, “Wednesday?”

Touka sighed and shook her head.

“Little Witch, five years ago today you woke up from your coma.”

“Minimally conscious state,” I corrected.  “Has it really been that long?”  The question was more a thought I spoke out loud but Izuna answered.

“Yes, it has.  Tonight’s dinner is a celebration both for you coming back to us and for everything that’s been built since then.”

I grinned, “Well then I definitely need to look my best!”  I skipped ahead a little ways then turned to face my two companions, still walking backwards.  “I’ll see you two at dinner!”

Then I disappeared.

When I reappeared outside my building on the Uchiha grounds I laughed, walking up the stairs and opening the door.  I still absolutely loved that jutsu.  It had taken a while to get used to the feeling of being sucked through a too small hole, but it was so entirely worth it.

Madara had nearly had a heart attack the first time I popped up next to him from out of nowhere, and on occasion he still threatened to kill Tobirama for teaching it to me.

I took my time showering and getting ready for the dinner.  Thinking about the first few days after I had woken up.  My mind kept coming back to a conversation with Touka and Tobirama I’d had during my first venture outside the medical building.

It had been five years and she’d never brought it up again, neither of them had.  Not to me, and not to my brothers.  As I looked out the window I realized it was almost time for me to be at Hashirama’s house, it was just after dark.

My sensing pulses put Tobirama there already, and Madara was just leaving the Nara clan grounds with a chakra I recognized as Shikani.  Touka and Izuna were still in their respective houses.  There was no one I could Flying Raijin to that would make the trip quicker without being rude to Hashirama.

I sighed and stepped out of the house, deciding that I needed the time it would take to walk there to think anyway.  I took my time, strolling the streets toward the Senju area instead of using the rooftops like most shinobi did.  As I walked I kept turning what I’d told Touka over and over in my mind.

_“I will answer your questions -all of them- in time.”_

I had meant it when I said it.  It hadn’t been just empty words to get her to stop asking questions.

Without realizing it I was walking up the stairs to Hashirama’s.  I stood without knocking, staring at the door in thought not recognizing what I was looking at.  Not until the door opened and I was suddenly staring at Tobirama’s chest.

I looked up at him in surprise and saw him smirk at me, my heart beating a little faster as I smiled back.

“You just planning on staying out there all night, or were you going to knock?”

“Sorry, Tobi, I got lost in thought and didn’t even realize I was already here.”  I stepped forward into his waiting arms to hug him.  He pulled me inside and closed the door behind me.

“Don’t call me that,” he muttered as he pressed a kiss to my forehead.  “Why didn’t you just Flying Raijin here?”

“Because you were the only one close and you were already here.  It would have been rude for me to just pop up inside the house.”

He snorted, “Trust me, they’re used to it.  I do it all the time.”

I smiled sweetly up at him, “Well I wasn’t raised to be a wild animal, so I guess you’ll just have to get used to someone having manners.”  He rolled his eyes and scowled at me, but his arms tightened around me slightly so I knew he wasn’t actually mad.

We walked into the dining room and I could _see_  rainbows around Hashirama when he saw me with Tobirama.

“Kaida!  I’m glad you’re here!”  He got up to trap me in a hug.  As his arms squeezed me tighter I started coughing.

“Mads was right all those years ago,” I choked out.

“About what?”  Hashirama looked concerned as he pulled back.  I smirked.

“He once told me if you ever tried to hug me, to dodge.  He said I’d suffocate.”

It was comical how quickly the man could go from upbeat to depressed and, true to form, he slumped immediately.  I laughed and patted his arm.

“Sorry, Hashi.  I just value being able to breathe.  So does Madara.”

Tobirama put his hand on the small of my back to lead me to the table, “I’ve tried to tell you before, Anija.  I don’t know why you never listen to me.”

There was a knock on the door and Hashirama went to get it.  I heard my twin come in and I assumed Hashirama had tried to hug him because I immediately heard him growl, “No you don’t, Idiot!  I prefer to live, thank you!”

There were a few more thumps and Shikani shuffled into the room.  My brother’s soulmate had the same posture of every other Nara, hands in his pockets and slightly slouched.  I smiled over at him.

“Hey, Shikani.  Are they alright in there?”

He rolled his eyes, though I could see the fondness there in his eyes and the slight upturn of his mouth.  “Only as alright as they always are.”

I huffed a laugh and nodded, “Yeah that sounds about right.”

Madara and Hashirama tumbled into the dining room then and I Body Flickered to my twin’s side to tackle him in a hug while Hashirama had him distracted.

“I missed you, Anija.”  He hugged me back with one arm as he distractedly swatted Hashirama away from us

“Kaida, you saw me yesterday.”  His voice was gruff and exasperated, but I knew he’d missed me too.

“Yeah, and there was a time when we didn’t have to go more than a few hours without seeing each other.  Let me pester my twin.”

He grumbled and swatted again, Hashirama was apparently trying to turn it into a group hug.

There was another knock on the door and Mito poked her head out of the kitchen.

“Hashirama, leave those two alone and get the door.”  Her tone was stern but loving and Hashirama perked up like a puppy whose human just gave him a treat.  I laughed softly and let Madara go.

“He’ll be focused on Touka now, so you’re safe.”

He walked over to take the seat next to Shikani and I smiled softly as I took my seat next to Tobirama.  I fell back into thought as I twined my fingers with Tobirama’s under the table and before I knew it Mito was bringing dinner in.

Once everyone was situated and we gave thanks for the food we dug in.  There was a little conversation here and there, but for the most part I didn’t pay much attention.  I missed the worried glances from everyone except Madara as I ate.  Generally I was more outspoken so no one was sure what to do with my silence.

Madara, however, knew me better than even Izuna.  He knew there was something on my mind and that there wouldn’t be much anyone could do until I decided to bring it up.

After we finished dinner I helped Mito clean up.

“Kaida, is everything okay?”  Her soft voice broke me from my contemplation and I looked up.

“Yeah, everything is fine.  I’ve just had something on my mind, but I think…” I trailed off to make sure I was sure of what I had decided.  Then I nodded and smiled brightly, “Yeah, I think I’ve made the right decision.”

We finished cleaning up with light chatter and went to join the rest of the family.  As I took the seat between Tobirama and Madara I took a steadying breath.  I waited for a lull in the conversation as Tobirama idly ran a hand through my hair.

Izuna and Touka were in the middle of recounting our earlier spar.  I smiled and reached around Madara to nudge Shikani with my free hand.

“It took a Nara boy five minutes of watching us to figure out what I was doing and realize that if I would use the Sharingan I’d be unstoppable.”

Madara huffed, “What does that say about our elders?”

“That they’re idiots,” Shikani said.  “Anyone with half a brain should be able to realize your twin’s strength.”

I laughed happily, “Yet no one outside the people in this room and that Nara boy this afternoon actually have.”

Touka turned to Tobirama.

“And you!”  She punched him in the shoulder.

“What was that for?!”  He glared at her and rubbed the spot she’d hit.

“Teaching her how to transform and keep her sensing pulses up!  I’ll never catch her in a genjutsu now!”

We both smirked at her.

“Get good,” We told her at the same time.  She groaned and I laughed, squeezing Tobirama’s hand.

I cleared my throat with a smile.

“So, uh…”  I started off, everyone’s attention was on me immediately.  “Izuna reminded me earlier that today is the anniversary of when I woke up.”  When I felt Tobirama’s arm tighten I took a breath and kept going.

“During my first walk outside the medical building Touka and I had a conversation about soulmates and it led Tobirama to ask me a particular question that I wasn’t really ready to answer.”  Touka’s eyes went wide and she leaned forward.  Izuna looked confused.

“Why didn’t you just ask me?  I probably could have answered it.”  He pouted and Touka turned to him.

“She asked us not to ask you or Madara.  She said she would answer it eventually and asked us to wait for her to answer it.”

“What was the question.”  Madara’s voice was tight and I reached over to squeeze his arm.

“Why Father hated me.”  Both my brothers went rigid and I winced.  I looked between Touka and Tobirama.

“This is why I told you not to ask them.”

“Are you saying you’re ready to tell us?”  Tobirama’s voice was soft and I nodded, looking at the floor.

“Five years is a long time to wait for answers without ever bringing it up again, you all deserve to know.  You’re just as much my family as Madara and Izuna.  It’s time to tell you.”

I looked up to see that Shikani had his hand on Madara’s back and Touka had threaded her arm through Izuna’s.  I smiled at my brothers, who gave me small nods.

I cleared my throat and settled back against Tobirama’s chest.  “You’d all better get comfortable, it’s a long story.”

Touka pulled Izuna back into the cushions and Mito settled down next to Hashirama.  Tobirama wrapped his arms around me and pressed a kiss to the top of my head.  Madara stayed where he was.

“I guess I should start at the beginning…”

And so I did.

* * *

 

“Grandma!”

I heard my granddaughter Kaede call as she came into the house.  I smiled and went to greet her.

“Hello, my dear.  How did your exam go?”  She was with her three cousins, Izuna and Touka’s grandchildren, and they all ran to hug me.

“We all passed!”  I laughed and hugged the four of them.

“I’m so proud of all of you!  So, I made you a promise.”  They all nodded eagerly and I led them into the back yard.  “I said when you all graduated from the academy that I would tell you a story from when I was young.  Have you decided what story you’d like to hear?”

“I want to hear how you met Grandpa!”  Kaede said with a smile.  I sighed and looked to the other three, “And what about you three?”

“We want to hear about how our grandparents met!”  I chuckled.

“Well luckily that’s all going to be one story.”  We all got settled in the back yard and I smiled at the feel of my husband’s chakra, still the same after all these years, steady and bright at the Hokage tower.

“I was 9 years old when I first realized I was different from my brothers.  My twin brother Madara -older than me by 15 minutes- was slated to be the next clan head and my younger brother Izuna was intended to be his second in command.

“Traditionally that honor should have been mine, being the second oldest, but my father knew long before anyone else that I was going to be far too soft to be the kind of second in command he would approve of.  Well, the joke was on him; I’d rather die than be anything he would approve of.”  I looked around at the children circling me, completely captivated already.

“This is my story.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As a note; The battle that killed Tobi in canon happened, but Kaida was there with him. Two people with Flying Raijin, one of whom has an impenetrable defense and a burning desire to keep the people she loves safe.
> 
> Tobirama killed a /lot/ of enemy shinobi that day. Kaida was forced to use her Sharingan in battle for the first time to keep them alive.

**Author's Note:**

> I began writing this story with only the idea of Tobirama's soulmate being Madara and Izuna's sister and managing to save her little brother by successfully throwing herself in front of the attack that killed him in the anime. I had no idea how I was going to make it happen, and to see how this story took on a life of its own as I wrote it brings me immense satisfaction. I'm so sorry it's taken me so long to get to the end of this story and I thank you all for your patience with me.
> 
> Thank you so much for all the comments and Kudos. I appreciate you all!


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